In the period 1994-96, the American consulting firm Spencer Management Associates (SMA) prepared for CFE a pre-feasibility and then a financial and technical feasibility for five possible plant configurations ranging from 128 MW to 326 MW, located in Northern Mexico.

In 1999, the International Bank for Recnstruction and Development, an Implementing Agency of the GEF, agreed to grant the United Mexican States with $305,000 for "Preparation of an investment project (the Project) to assist the Recipient’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) with the operation of a solar thermal/natural gas-fired hybrid power plant using an integrated solar combined cycle system approach."

The activities granted consisted of reviewing existing pre-feasibility studies, assessment of technological and design configuration, new pre-engineering, optimization and other cost and efficiency studies.

The first estimates were to build a 300 MW plant from which 30 MW would come from the solar field. The expected cost was $180 million (for the whole plant).

In 2008, an amendment was introduced to the project to decrease solar field power to 12 - 15 MW after two failed bidding procedures in September 2006 and February 2008 acording to the bidders offers.

Elecnor and SENER ware awarded with contract to design and build the combined cycle, so as to implement the integration of the solar field.