Mexico’s Environment and Natural Resources Secretariat (Semarnat) has conditionally approved the PV Moquel Solar project in environmental impact terms. Developed by Solarig Mexico, the project will be located in Champotón, Campeche.
According to the resolution issued by Semarnat’s General Directorate of Environmental Impact and Risk (DGIRA) on Sept. 10, the project is considered environmentally viable.
The plant will have a maximum installed capacity of 104 MW in direct current (MWdc) and a nominal capacity of 75 MW in alternating current (MWac). It will be divided into 14 areas and comprise 162,342 monofacial Canadian Solar C57N-650MS-1500 V modules, each rated at 650 W and using monocrystalline silicon cells.
Conversion from direct to alternating current will be carried out using 215 kVA SUN2000-215KTL-H0 string inverters and 14 transformer stations. Electricity will be carried through about 6.56 km of underground medium-voltage infrastructure to a substation that will increase voltage from 34.5 kV to 115 kV for injection into Mexico’s national electricity system. The substation will have a projected capacity of 102.94 MVA.
The project will also include an energy storage system comprising 10 battery containers and five transformer stations. DGIRA assigns the BESS a nominal power rating of 15 MW and 10 hours of discharge duration, equivalent to 150 MWh of storage capacity. The resolution itself gives the energy figure as “150 MW/h.”
PV Moquel Solar will be located in Moquel, about 4 kilometers southeast of the urban area of Champotón. The project area covers about 273.7 hectares, including 269.93 hectares for the plant site and 3.76 hectares for access roads. Infrastructure will occupy about 138.73 hectares.
The project documentation provides for the removal of forest vegetation across 53.323 hectares. It also designates four no-impact zones covering 117.7942 hectares, some associated with the Champotón River and areas containing white and buttonwood mangroves. A further 17.1461 hectares of designated “white areas” will not be used for permanent or temporary works.
The environmental approval is valid for 24 months for site preparation, construction and installation, starting the day after the resolution is received, and for 30 years for operation and maintenance.
The resolution does not replace other permits. Before intervening in forested areas, Solarig must obtain authorization for land-use change on forest land covering the planned 53.323 hectares.
Solarig must also demonstrate compliance with social impact requirements. The company said it submitted a Social Impact Assessment to Mexico’s Energy Secretariat (Sener) in May 2023, but Sener must determine whether that filing remains valid under the current regulatory framework or whether Solarig must submit a new Energy Sector Social Impact Statement. The document issued by Sener must be submitted before any construction work begins.
PV Moquel Solar entered the environmental assessment process in June 2024. At that time, the project was reported to have a nominal capacity of 75 MW, maximum capacity of 104 MW and battery storage.
The latest resolution does not specify the project’s investment amount, expected employment or estimated annual electricity generation.
From pv magazine Mexico
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