SENER establishes a new priority process for renewable generation projects aligned with Mexico’s binding electricity sector planning, with commercial operation expected between 2027 and the first half of 2030.
On May 11, 2026, the Ministry of Energy (“SENER”) published in the Federal Official Gazette the “Second Call for the Priority Processing of Applications for Electricity Generation Permits and Interconnection to the National Electric System, Aligned with Binding Planning” (the “Second Call”).
The Second Call follows the process published by SENER on October 17, 2025, under which the National Energy Commission (“CNE”) granted 18 generation permits for power plants expected to begin commercial operation between 2027 and 2030. The new process is intended to prioritize projects that contribute to Mexico’s binding electricity sector planning and to the expansion objectives of the National Electric System (“SEN”).
Through this procedure, SENER and the CNE will determine which projects may obtain generation permits and interconnect to the SEN during the 2027-2030 cycle, based on criteria including reliability, energy sovereignty, social justice, environmental sustainability and technological innovation.
The Second Call is aligned with the 2025-2039 Electricity Sector Development Plan (“PLADESE”), which contemplates 76,000 MW of new capacity and 1,800 MW of replacement capacity, approximately 80% of which would correspond to clean technologies.
The procedure is available to electricity generation projects with a capacity of at least 0.7 MW seeking to interconnect to the SEN. Among the applicable criteria, projects must:
• Be aligned with binding electricity sector planning, including their location within the designated regions.
• Use renewable energy sources.
• Include an Electricity Storage System sized at no less than 30% of the power plant’s capacity.
• Provide for the earliest possible commercial operation date between 2027 and the first half of 2030.
• Provide documentary evidence of the procedures relating to their technical, social and environmental feasibility filed with the competent authorities, including SENER, CENACE and SEMARNAT.
The Second Call expressly excludes Distributed Generation, Self-Consumption in any of its forms, Cogeneration, projects developed under a Mixed Development Scheme and projects associated with generation permits granted before the publication of the Second Call.
The process will be managed through two electronic platforms. The Single Window for Strategic Energy Sector Projects (“VUPE”) will be used to register expressions of interest and submit requests for interconnection studies to the National Center for Energy Control (“CENACE”). The Electronic Filing Office (“OPE”) will be the exclusive channel for filing generation permit applications and related procedures before the CNE.
The Second Call establishes a concentrated schedule between May and August 2026. The main milestones include:
• May 13 to May 22: submission of the expression of interest and request for interconnection studies through the VUPE.
• June 2 to June 8: evidence of payment for interconnection studies.
• June 9 to July 8: filing of the electricity generation permit application before the CNE through the OPE.
• July 9 to July 17: review of requirements and issuance and response to requests for additional information by the CNE.
• July 20: notification by CENACE of study results and the costs of Interconnection Works and Reinforcement Works.
• July 21 to July 28: express acceptance of the costs and works determined by CENACE.
• August 7 to August 12: technical evaluation of projects and their compliance with binding planning criteria.
• August 13 to August 14: review and, where applicable, approval of permits by the CNE Technical Committee.
• August 17: publication of the results of the Second Call.
• August 18: notification through the OPE of approved permits.
Once the permits have been issued, permit holders will be subject to various regulatory, technical and operational obligations, including the provision of financial guarantees to CENACE, execution of the corresponding interconnection agreement, completion of Interconnection Works and Reinforcement Works, compliance with the Works Program established in the relevant permit and completion of the actions required to achieve interconnection and Commercial Operation within the applicable deadlines.
The Second Call does not impose requirements additional to those established under the applicable regulatory framework. It does, however, introduce elements that will allow applications to be differentiated based on their technical robustness, alignment with binding planning and technical and operational feasibility. For developers of eligible projects, timely preparation of technical, regulatory, social and environmental documentation will therefore be particularly relevant given the concentrated timeline of the procedure.
Von Wobeser y Sierra is available to assist with the analysis of the Second Call, the preparation and filing of applications and the follow-up of generation permit and interconnection procedures.
