Damage from burning fuel oil increases at a Tula thermoelectric plant

The burning of fuel oil at the Tula “Francisco Pérez Ríos” Thermoelectric Power Plant affects the health of 22 million people in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico, according to information from Greenpeace.

Fuel oil is obtained as a petroleum residue. It is used as an industrial fuel for electricity generation and, in the process, produces emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides that affect air quality, the environment and health.

With the reform of the Electricity Industry Act, which has accumulated 117 suspensions, environmental organizations have pointed out the risks that prioritizing the thermoelectric plants of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), such as the Tula Power Plant, Hidalgo, can bring to light. This is why they also call it the “Fuel Oil Act”.

“The CFE plants have not had the necessary maintenance and have become inefficient [...] It is estimated that approximately 30% of each barrel of crude oil that enters becomes fuel oil,” explains Pablo Ramírez, head of the Greenpeace Energy Justice project. In 2017 alone, 24 percent was obtained for each barrel.

The CFE has 192 power plants, of which 16 are thermoelectric power plants. The Energy Transition Observatory in Mexico records nine that work on fuel with different capacities of MW (Megawatts).

1. Francisco Pérez Ríos in Tula, Hidalgo: 1,605.60 MW.
2. Carlos Rodríguez Rivero in Guaymas, Sonora: 484.00 MW.
3. Adolfo López Mateos in Tuxpan, Veracruz: 350.00 MW.
4. José Aceves Pozos in Mazatlán, Sinaloa: 300 MW.
5. Guadalupe Victoria Thermoelectric Power Plant, Lerdo: 160 MW.
6. Francisco Villa in Delicias, Chihuahua: 150.00 MW.
7. Thermoelectric plant in Mérida, Yucatán: 84.00 MW.
8. Lerma Thermoelectric Power Plant, Campeche: 37.50 MW.
9. Punta Prieta II in Baja California Sur: 37.50 MW.

Violations of the law and premature deaths

The Tula thermoelectric plant is one of the largest and most polluting in the CFE. It has five generation units and each year it releases 14 tons of particulate matter with a high sulfur content.

Last August, it was announced that, for four years (2016 - 2020), the Tula thermoelectric plant exceeded the legal limit of sulfur in fuel oil, reaching 3.9% by mass, when the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) only allows 2% to avoid fatal consequences. The information is found in internal documents of the same CFE reviewed by Reuters.

In other words, exposure to acids derived from SO2 is dangerous because particulate matter enters the lungs directly, which can aggravate cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases and even viral infections such as COVID-19.

According to a study by the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM) of Adolfo Hernández Moreno, the high levels of sulfur dioxide and PM 2.5 particles generated by the plant are responsible for chronic bronchitis and premature deaths.

“CFE should play a leading role in the sector. Move to non-fossil energies, to renewable energies, participating in a dialogue to see what are the options to expand and modernize the electricity grid without risks,” explains Arturo Carranza, energy analyst.

Acid Rain and the Greenhouse Effect

The consequences of burning fuel also have an environmental impact. It generates the emission of greenhouse gases, especially those with a high concentration of polluting gases, such as sulfur.

Of the total emissions generated by Mexico, 64% correspond to the consumption of fossil fuels, according to the National Inventory of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases and Compounds. “In terms of acid rain, which is a very important factor in soil erosion and loss of productivity,” says Pablo Ramírez. In Tuxpan, Veracruz, the Adolfo López Mateos thermoelectric plant is considered to be the main generator of acid rain in the southern region. Manuel Bartlett, director of CFE, has told international media that they are willing to use cleaner energy such as gas. This generated criticism because this is not considered a renewable energy.

“They can become more efficient, they can even use another type of fuel, but what would have to be happening in the ideal scenario is for this type of technology to leave the electrical matrix for good,” Ramírez says.