The Mexican government will launch a new package of measures this week to accelerate investment in the energy sector, with the publication of three calls for proposals and the implementation of a digital platform that will allow permits to be obtained in significantly shorter timeframes.
Energy Secretary Luz Elena González Escobar confirmed that the government will immediately publish new investment processes.
“This same week we will publish a new additional call for proposals, which is actually three calls for proposals,” he stated during the presentation of the Mexico Plan.
The package will include:
- New projects under mixed investment schemes with the Federal Electricity Commission
- Open call for private investment
- Specific processes for the development of battery storage plants
These calls are in addition to the processes already underway and seek to expand the pipeline of projects in the short term, incorporating both renewable generation and storage capacity.
Digital window: permits in one month
In parallel, the government will move forward with a key tool to reduce administrative times: a digital window for generation permits.
“The permits will be obtained in just one month,” González Escobar assured.
The system will be geared towards projects up to 20 MW, including:
- Industrial self-consumption
- Development poles
- Initiatives related to the energy transition
According to the government, this mechanism will unify procedures into a single process and reduce approval times by 60%, which previously could extend up to two and a half years.
Evaluation of 81 ongoing projects
As part of this new scheme, the government is already evaluating 81 renewable energy projects under mixed investment models with the CFE.
The decision on these projects is expected this month, which would mark a concrete step forward in the execution of the plan.
The initial call registered massive interest from the private sector , with the submission of more than 220 projects that together totaled about 38 GW of installed capacity , compared to an estimated demand of 7.5 GW .
This imbalance implies an oversupply of more than 580% , which significantly raises the selection standards and requires strict vetting in technical, economic and regulatory terms.
Among the groups with the largest volume of capacity offered, GTE Energy stands out, leading the call with nearly 3005 MW registered , followed by Thermion , with approximately 1897 MW mainly wind , and Cubico Sustainable Investments , with around 1761 MW in solar and wind parks.
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Also appearing among the developers with the highest registered power are Fisterra Energy (formerly Blackstone) with approximately 1749 MW , Proyener with approximately 1599 MW , AES Mexico with 1558 MW , Terralia with approximately 1527 MW , Grupo Cobra with 1415 MW , and Cox Energy , which exceeds the 1200 MW offered within the process.
This model also introduces new dynamics in pricing and contractual structures , in a context where industry consultants anticipate values that could range from USD 35 to 70/MWh , well above the USD 17/MWh recorded in the last long-term electricity auction in 2017. This difference is partly due to new technical requirements of the scheme , including the incorporation of storage, where some designs contemplate minimums close to 30% battery capacity , increasing costs but providing firmness and stability to the system.
Private call for tenders: continuity after previous awards
In parallel with the mixed scheme, the Government is preparing a new call exclusively for private investment , which is positioned as the direct continuation of recent processes already awarded.
This new call can be interpreted as a second round following the December call , in which approximately 3.3 GW of renewable capacity was awarded along with 1.2 GW in battery storage systems .
That tender marked a turning point in private participation within the Mexican electricity system , not only because of the volume allocated but also because of the incorporation of storage as a structural component of the projects.
Among the winning companies are large international and regional developers , such as Iberdrola, Enel Green Power, Acciona Energía, Zuma Energía and Cubico Sustainable Investments , along with other players that are consolidating their presence in the Mexican market.
Context: target of 38% renewables and capacity expansion
These measures are part of a broader strategy to accelerate the country's energy transition.
The official goal is to increase the share of renewable energy from the current 24% to at least 38%, maintaining 54% public generation and enabling 46% for private investment.
To that end, the government has a pipeline of projects that includes:
- 13 plants in operation
- 4 under construction
- 4 tendered during 2025
- New processes in preparation
This complex would allow the incorporation of around 9,800 MW of new capacity, with the goal of reaching nearly 22,000 MW in renewable energy.
Fewer procedures and greater coordination
One of the plan's pillars is regulatory simplification. Coordination among five institutions has reduced generation permit processing times by 60%.
In addition, progress was made in regularizing projects in process, many of which already have authorizations and are in the engineering phase or about to start construction.
Cellular Energy Market: More Supply and Debate over Demand
Meanwhile, the Clean Energy Certificates (CEL) market saw an increase in 2025, with 34.3 million issued, 22% more than in 2024.
This increase is due to changes in Mexico's Electricity Sector Law, which enabled the participation of power plants built before 2014, expanding the supply of certificates.
The sector's focus is now shifting to the consumption requirement, currently at 13.9%, with expectations that it could increase to levels between 17% and 20% to sustain market equilibrium.