Nissan bets on nuclear energy to operate its plants in Mexico

Nissan Mexicana has placed nuclear energy at the center of its strategy to decarbonize manufacturing. Through a direct contract with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), the Japanese carmaker obtains 90% of the energy demand of its three plants in Mexico: two in Aguascalientes and one in Morelos.

Nissan's three plants in the country together consume almost 400 gigawatt-hours per year. Of that total, about 360 GWh is provided by the only nuclear power plant in operation in Mexico, operated by the CFE.

The Laguna Verde nuclear plant, located in Veracruz and operated by the CFE, generates about 5% of the electricity produced in the country. In 2024, it generated 12,306.58 GWh of gross energy, of which it delivered 11,977.77 GWh as net energy, according to CFE data. In that universe, Nissan represents 3% of the total dispatched.

“It is CO2-free energy,” said Marco Rivera, environment and energy manager at Nissan Mexicana. “We have contracts and all the legal aspects have been resolved with them for two years,” he added.