Who is Minsa and Why is it Relevant?
Grupo Minsa, a leading producer of corn flour in Mexico, has clarified that its cogeneration plants will operate under a self-consumption scheme and not for autarchy. The company, with Altagracia Gómez Sierra as its president of the Administrative Council, is also the current coordinator of the Regional Economic Development and Relocation Advisory Council (CADERR).
Understanding Self-Consumption vs. Autarchy
The distinction between self-consumption and autarchy is crucial in this context. Autarchy, previously allowed under the previous Electricity Service Public Utility Law, permitted generators to interconnect with the national grid of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) for commercializing electricity to third parties.
Self-consumption, however, applies when the generator and end consumer are the same entity. In Minsa’s case, this scheme prohibits selling electricity to third parties.
Minsa’s Cogeneration Plants
Minsa has been granted permits by the National Energy Commission (CNE) for constructing four cogeneration plants in Veracruz, Jalisco, Coahuila, and Sinaloa. These plants will generate electricity for self-use only and not for commercialization with third parties.
- Locations: Ahome, Ramos Arizpe (Coahuila), Jáltipan (Sinaloa), and Guadalajara (Jalisco)
- Operation Start Dates: End of January 2026 (Ahome, Ramos Arizpe, Jáltipan) and late February 2026 (Guadalajara)
- Permit Validity: 20 years from December 2025, allowing Minsa to generate its own electricity under the self-consumption scheme until mid-2040
Addressing Misconceptions
The clarification comes after a digital news article on January 15, 2023, inaccurately compared self-consumption and autarchy, causing confusion. Minsa emphasized that comparing permits from two distinct schemes regulated by different legal frameworks is incorrect.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: What is the purpose of Minsa’s cogeneration plants? A: The plants will generate electricity for Minsa’s self-use only, not for commercialization with third parties.
- Q: What was the previous law allowing autarchy? A: The previous Electricity Service Public Utility Law permitted generators to interconnect with the national grid of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) for commercializing electricity to third parties.
- Q: How does self-consumption apply to Minsa? A: Under the self-consumption scheme, Minsa generates its own electricity without selling it to third parties.
- Q: When will Minsa’s cogeneration plants begin operating? A: The plants in Ahome, Ramos Arizpe, Jáltipan, and Guadalajara will operate by the end of January 2026, late February 2026, and late February 2026, respectively.
- Q: How long will the permits for these plants be valid? A: The permits have a 20-year validity starting from December 2025, allowing Minsa to generate its own electricity until mid-2040.
