Marking the first day of Utah’s trade mission to Mexico City, Governor Gary R. Herbert met with Mexico’s Secretary of Energy, Pedro Joaquín Coldwell, to advance energy cooperation through the establishment of a working group.
The group will comprise of leaders across government, industry and education to foster information exchange, drive innovation and promote investment opportunities. As a first step in the collaboration, Sec. Joaquín Coldwell was invited to participate in the Governor’s Energy Summit on May 15, 2018 in Salt Lake City.
“Our conversations to initiate a deeper energy cooperation with Utah are encouraging, as we intensely work in North America towards the integration of reliable energy markets and infrastructure, investment promotion in the energy sector, and development of new talent and technologies,” said Sec. Joaquín.
Mexico’s Energy Reform continues to strengthen the country’s economy, bringing new opportunities through technology and private investment across traditional and renewable resources. Similarly, Utah has experienced significant growth and diversification following Gov. Herbert’s 10 Year Strategic Energy Plan that recognizes market-based regulation, innovation and infrastructure as key drivers for responsible energy development.
“As the ‘Crossroads of the American West’ for energy and innovation, Utah is in a unique position to strengthen its global partnerships with Mexico,” said Gov. Herbert. “We both share regions rich in natural resources, we are connected through the Western Energy Grid and we are actively exploring port access and other development opportunities.”
The working group will be led by Mexico’s Ministry of Energy and the Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development, and is expected to take shape in the coming weeks.
“We are proud to work in partnership with Mexico’s Ministry of Energy to advance mutually beneficial energy opportunities across research, innovation and investment,” said Laura Nelson, the Utah Governor’s energy advisor. “Global energy partnerships are key to building a sustainable future that provides for both economic and environmental success in Utah, Mexico and the world.”
