From pv magazine Mexico

Mexico’s Secretariat of Energy (SENER) has published in the country's Official Gazette a call for strategic electricity generation and storage projects, aimed at prioritizing permitting, interconnection studies, and connection contracts for projects aligned with national grid planning.

The scheme targets renewable generation projects of 0.7 MW and above, as well as standalone energy storage systems of similar size, while excluding distributed generation, self-consumption, cogeneration, and already-permitted plants. It includes projects developed in partnership with national utility CFE and requires demonstrated benefits to system reliability, efficiency, and regional balance.

The call runs its expression-of-interest and study request window from May 25 to August 25, with the National Center for Energy Control (CENACE) granted 30 business days for interconnection studies once payment is confirmed. For storage, SENER indicates a reference need of 935 MW across regions, with a three-hour duration, though the figures are indicative rather than binding.

Approved projects must secure financing documentation within eight months of permitting and obtain environmental and social approvals within six months, except where prior consultation is required. The initiative forms part of Mexico’s post-2024–2025 electricity sector reforms strengthening SENER’s planning role.

In recent months, the Mexican authorities have reported a growing number of PV projects submitted for approval since the publication of a new decree regulating private investments in the energy sector in mid-October.

Since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office, her administration has sought a more pragmatic relationship with foreign investors. “There will be room for private investment, but with certain rules,” Sheinbaum recently said, emphasizing the need for technical and operational stability in the power sector.

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