Ley de Energía Eléctrica
The Ley de Energía Eléctrica (Electric Energy Law), reformed in 2022, governs the generation, transmission, distribution, and commercialization of electric energy in Mexico. The law establishes the legal framework for the electricity market, including the roles of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE, the state-owned utility) and private generators. The 2022 reform was controversial, as it prioritized CFE’s dispatch in the electricity market and challenged the energy reform of 2013 that had opened the sector to private investment. The law addresses clean energy targets, interconnection tariffs, and the regulatory authority of CRE (Energy Regulatory Commission).
Legal area: Energy law governs the regulation, production, and distribution of energy resources including electricity, oil, and gas.
Year enacted: 2022
Full text: https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/htm/ley_energia_electrica.htm
Key Provisions
- Art. 2: Principles of the electricity sector (security, efficiency, sustainability)
- Art. 5-8: Clean energy objectives (objetivos de energías limpias)
- Art. 9-15: CFE role and priority in dispatch (prioridad de despacho de CFE)
- Art. 16-22: Private generation and interconnection
- Art. 23-28: Electricity market and tariffs (mercado eléctrico)
- Art. 29-35: CRE regulatory authority (autoridad reguladora)
Significance
The Electric Energy Law has been at the center of Mexico’s energy policy debates. The 2022 reform was challenged before the Supreme Court and generated significant controversy regarding Mexico’s energy reform and commitments to clean energy. The law reflects the tension between state control of the energy sector (a constitutional principle under Article 28) and the private investment encouraged by the 2013 energy reform. Mexico’s electricity sector is a critical component of the country’s economic infrastructure.