Generation Expansion Planning Toward the Decarbonization of the Baja California Sur Electrical System

Authors

Keywords:

Investment Cost, Generation Expansion Planning, Renewable Generation, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

Abstract

This article analyzes the energy transition and decarbonization of the Baja California Sur Interconnected System (BCSIS), an isolated electrical grid with a high dependence on fossil fuels. It proposes a generation expansion plan (GEP) that incorporates renewable technologies such as wind power, photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP), and battery energy storage systems (BESS), with the aim of improving reliability, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and lowering operating costs. To achieve this, three expansion scenarios are evaluated for the period 2025–2039, using simulations carried out with PLEXOS® software.

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Author Biographies

Antonino Lopez Rios, Cinvestav

Antonino López Ríos received the B.Eng. degrees in electrical engineering from Tecnológico Nacional de México and the M.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from CINVESTAV, Guadalajara, Mexico. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering at CINVESTAV, Guadalajara, Mexico. His research interests include power system planning.

Gilberto Lopez Rios, Cinvestav

Gilberto López Ríos received the B.Eng. degrees in electrical engineering from Tecnológico Nacional de México and the M.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from Cinvestav, Guadalajara, Mexico. Currently, he is pursuing the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering at Cinvestav, Guadalajara, Mexico.

Pablo Moreno Villalobos, Cinvestav

Pablo Moreno Villalobos received the B.Eng. degree in mechanical and electrical engineering from UNAM, Mexico, D.F., in 1985, the M.Sc. degree from ITESM, Monterrey, Mexico, in 1989, and the Ph.D. degree from Washington State University, USA, in 1997. He is currently a Full Professor with Cinvestav, Guadalajara. His research interests include power systems, renewable energy, electromagnetic transients in electric and electronic systems and in electromagnetic compatibility.

Mario R. Arrieta Paternina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Mario Arrieta Paternina received the B.Eng. and M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering from the National University of Colombia, in 2007 and 2009, respectively. In 2017, he received the D.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering at CINVESTAV, Guadalajara, Mexico. From 2009 to 2013, he lectured and headed undergraduate electrical engineering projects at the Technological University of Bolivar, Cartagena, Colombia, and the Pascual Bravo University Institution, Medellín, Colombia. He joined the Department of Electrical Engineering of the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 2017 and is currently a full-time Professor. His main research interests include modeling, monitoring, protecting, and controlling modern energy systems. Dr. Paternina is a member of the Mexican Research System.

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Published

2026-05-21

How to Cite

Lopez Rios, A., Lopez Rios, G., Moreno Villalobos, P., & Arrieta Paternina, M. R. (2026). Generation Expansion Planning Toward the Decarbonization of the Baja California Sur Electrical System. IEEE Latin America Transactions, 24(7), 683–693. Retrieved from https://latamt.ieeer9.org/index.php/transactions/article/view/10343

Issue

Section

Electric Energy