KANSAS CITY, Missouri (June 21, 2018) — Burns & McDonnell has received a crucial certification from the Centro Nacional de Control De Energ¡a (CENACE), Mexico’s independent system operator for the country’s electrical grid. Resulting from the 2013 Energy Reform laws in Mexico, CENACE operates and controls Mexico’s wholesale energy markets with the goals of promoting competition, efficiency, open access and planning for needed system upgrades and improvements. Prior to the reform, CENACE was part of Mexico’s largest state-owned utility, Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE).

The certification awarded to Burns & McDonnell allows the company’s engineers to access CENACE developed power system models, enabling review of a wealth of data on grid performance and specific areas where generation or transmission assets could help improve reliability and efficiency.

“The certification allows us to have access to the essential data needed for analysis, so we can advise both the system operator and our clients with our best engineering judgment on where upgrades, improvements or new generation might benefit overall system reliability,” says Noé H. Sáenz, Country Manager – Mexico, for Burns & McDonnell. “This level of information sharing is a win-win for both the system operator, CENACE, and developers and power generation and transmission owners in Mexico.”

Since the move to deregulate and partially privatize its electrical system, Mexico began moving quickly to integrate solar, wind and gas-fired generation on the system while also upgrading a deteriorated power transmission system. CENACE is responsible for implementing competitive wholesale power auctions intended to lock in lowest cost electricity suppliers as a means to upgrade the overall power grid for the entire country.

The power system certification earned by Burns & McDonnell enables the company to serve as a strategic consultant advising project developers on transmission constraints and which sites might have the potential to be built for the lowest cost and provide the most benefit to grid operations.  

“There is an urgent need to upgrade and improve power systems as Mexico quickly transitions to a first-world economy,” Sáenz says. “So, time is of the essence when it comes to CENACE approval of projects that will upgrade the system. This certification allows us to better fulfill our consulting role in allowing clients to propose projects that have the best chance of success.”

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a family of companies made up of more than 6,000 engineers, architects, construction professionals, scientists, consultants and entrepreneurs with offices across the country and throughout the world. We strive to create amazing success for our clients and amazing careers for our employee-owners. Burns & McDonnell is 100 percent employee-owned and is proud to be on Fortune’s 2018 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For.