Mexico’s Comisi¢n Reguladora de Energ¡a (CRE) granted a permitto Transportadora de Gas Natural de Baja California, a subsidiarycompany of U.S.-based Sempra Energy International, for transportinggas to the Presidente Ju rez thermoelectric station in Rosarito,Baja California. Enova and Pacific Enterprises won the bid calledfor gas to supply the generating station. The projected 30-inchdiameter pipeline will span 23 miles and is designed to operatewith a compression capacity of 810 MMcf/d and operative capacity of270 MMcf/d.

Gas will be supplied from Southern California to the SanDiego-Tijuana area of the U.S.-Mexico border by means of the SanDiego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) network, where the new pipelinewill begin. Enova and Pacific Enterprises, along with the Mexicancompany Pr¢xima, are the distributors in the Mexicali and Chihuahuageographic zones, where they will invest nearly US$64 million in994 miles of pipelines that will reach nearly 77 thousandresidential, industrial and commercial users over the next fiveyears.

Last August, Sempra was awarded a 10-year agreement by theMexican Federal Electric Commission (CFE) to supply gas to thePresidente Juarez plant. Sempra is to provide a complete energysupply package for the power plant, including up to 300 MMcf/d ofgas, transportation services in the United States and constructionof the 23-mile pipeline from the U.S.-Mexico border to the plant.In today’s dollars, the value of the 10-year gas supply contractcould approach $1 billion.

Delivery of gas is expected to begin in December, enabling theCFE to serve up to 1,500 MW of new gas-fired generation at thePresidente Juarez power plant.

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