On October 17, 2025, a “Request for proposals for the Priority Handling of Applications for Electric Generation Permits and Interconnection to the National Electric System, aligned with Binding Planning” (the “RfP”) was published in the Federal Official Gazette.
The RfP establishes a mechanism for the priority handling of applications for power generation permits before the National Energy Commission (“CNE” per its acronym in Spanish) and of interconnection studies before the National Energy Center (“CENACE” per its acronym in Spanish), for the development of power plants that are strategic and priority within the sector’s binding planning through 2030. It is directed at private power plants with a capacity equal to or greater than 0.7 MW whose generation is intended for the Wholesale Electricity Market (the “Market”), as well as permits granted prior to the entry into force of the Electricity Sector Law under the Electricity Industry Law and the Public Electric Power Service Law that wish to migrate to the regime of the former. This RfP excludes projects to be developed under mixed development schemes with the Federal Commission of Electricity, projects for self consumption and distributed generation.
To be included in binding planning, projects must have the following characteristics:
a. Be located in the regions identified in the binding planning, in accordance with the capacity addition slots contained in the RfP;
b. Be aligned with the technical requirements, generation technology, and Commercial Operation Date determined in the RfP; and
c. Where applicable, submit supporting documentation of technical, social, and environmental feasibility proceedings carried out before the competent authorities, such as the Ministry of Energy, CENACE, and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
To participate in the process, it is necessary to comply with the requirements set forth in the RfP within the deadlines established therein, which has the following key dates:
a. Expression of interest. To participate, it is necessary to submit an expression of interest through the Official Filling Site for Strategic Projects of the Energy Sector between October 20 and 24, 2025, requesting the project’s generation permit and interconnection studies, indicating any prior procedures that have been carried out, including, as applicable, the generation permit application.
b. Interconnection study results. By November 26, 2025 at the latest, CENACE will inform participants of the results of the impact and facilities studies, indicating the cost of the reinforcement works and the interconnection works that must be covered in the event the permit is granted under the RfP, as well as technical remarks, operational constraints, and specific interconnection conditions.
c. Acceptance of interconnection and reinforcement works. To continue with the process, by December 4, 2025 at the latest, formal acceptance of the reinforcement and interconnection works must be submitted through the Official Filling Site. Such acceptance is irrevocable.
d. Granting of generation permits. On December 11 and 12, 2025, the CNE will notify the corresponding parties of the generation permits that have been granted.
e. Delivery of interconnection guarantee. The interconnection guarantee must be delivered in the form established for such purpose in the Manual for the Interconnection of Power Plants and Connection of Load Centers within 10 business days following notification of the generation permit by the CNE.
Persons who are granted a generation permit under the terms of the RfP and who already hold a generation permit granted by the CNE must withdraw the latter.
The granting of permits will be based on the contribution of benefits to the National Electric System in accordance with the criteria of Binding Planning in matters of Reliability, Continuity, Quality, and Security of the National Electric System, Energy Justice (a higher percentage of investment in the Social Management Plan), and innovation and technological development.
The evaluation of criteria will be done in accordance with the General administrative provisions regarding binding planning in the power generation activity published on October 17, 2025. For more detail on these provisions, consult our client alert here.
To consult the terms of the RfP, access here.
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