CONAMER Exempts Self-Supply Permits From Impact Assessment

Mexico’s regulatory improvement body, CONAMER, approved a regulatory impact exemption for a new permitting framework covering power generation for self-supply projects with installed capacity between 0.7 and 20MW.

The exemption was granted following a request made by SENER, which is seeking to simplify procedures for projects that fall within the new legal definition of self-supply under the country’s Electricity Sector Law (LESE). A formal response from CONAMER, dated July 10 and authored by Jesús Bernardo de la Luna Ruiz, General Coordinator of Regulatory Impact Assessments, CONAMER, said the proposal would not introduce new obligations or sanctions for private actors, nor would it add administrative burdens or costs.

The framework sets out the requirements and timelines for developers to obtain a generation permit for interconnection to the national grid under the self-supply model. According to SENER, the goal is to reduce red tape while providing legal certainty and encouraging investment in onsite generation.

The proposal aligns with provisions under Art. 30 of the LESE and aims to clarify and simplify the permitting process, which is now overseen by the recently created National Energy Commission (CNE). Under the new law, self-supply projects between 0.7 and 20MW must obtain a permit, while those below 0.7MW are exempt.

SENER stated that the requirements laid out in the agreement mirror existing procedures and legal obligations, meaning no new compliance costs will be incurred by developers. The simplified process is expected to help expedite investments and boost confidence among private participants in the electricity sector.