The first two phases of the Puerto Peñasco photovoltaic plant, the largest in Latin America, have reached 100 percent of their generation capacity with a combined 420 megawatts. Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo Montaño announced the milestone on July 21, 2026.
The plant, part of the Plan Sonora de Energías Sostenibles, began planning in 2023. The first phase (120 megawatts) entered operation in 2024, and the second (300 megawatts) in 2025. According to La Jornada, the energy generated is sold to the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), and the revenues fund summer electricity tariff subsidies for the 72 municipalities of Sonora. The 2026 budget allocated to that subsidy is 1,750 million pesos. The state, which borders Arizona, records some of the highest residential electricity consumption in the country during summer, when temperatures frequently exceed 45 degrees Celsius.
The project required a total investment of 1,640 million dollars across its four phases, according to Excélsior. The energy generated by the two operational phases is commercialized with CFE, and the proceeds directly finance the summer electricity tariff subsidies. The plant is located in the coastal municipality of Puerto Peñasco, a zone with one of the highest solar irradiation levels in North America. Governor Durazo explained that the mechanism is designed to translate the state's natural resources into a direct benefit for Sonoran families during the peak consumption season. The plant also contributes to the national goal of sourcing 38 percent of electricity generation from clean energy by 2030.
Phases 3 and 4, adding 300 and 280 megawatts respectively, are scheduled for 2027. Once complete, the plant will total one gigawatt of installed capacity. The energy-sale arrangement with CFE will sustain summer electricity subsidy funding across all 72 municipalities in the state, and the project places the region firmly on the map of continental-scale solar infrastructure.
This article was drafted with AI assistance from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.