CRE Prepares Energy Storage Regulation

CRE sent a preliminary project to integrate Energy Storage Systems (SAE) into Mexico's National Electrical System (SEN), aiming to regulate the constant injection of renewable electricity into the grid.

Presented to the National Commission for Regulatory Improvement (CONAMER), the draft project outlines Administrative Provisions for SAE integration into the SEN. It aims to establish conditions for orderly integration, reducing operating costs, countering the intermittent variability of power plants, and leveraging SAE products and services to enhance the SEN’s efficiency, quality, reliability, continuity, safety, and sustainability.

Commissioner Walter Ángel told Bloomberg Línea that the proposed regulation will undergo consultation with companies in late May, with vote and approval slated for June 2024. He emphasized that a minimum of 30% of total installed capacity in megawatts per power plant will be required to mitigate voltage and frequency issues. The Puerto Peñasco solar photovoltaic plant of the state company CFE is expected to incorporate around 45% storage.

The draft seeks to regulate SAEs to enable the constant integration of electricity generated by renewables into SEN. Anticipating a rigorous regulatory process due to its significant impact, the project proposes new obligations for SAEs, including permit requests or modifications, compliance with interconnection processes, synchronization with variable generation plants, and adherence to efficiency, quality, reliability, continuity, security, and sustainability criteria outlined in the Network Code. For isolated supply plants, SAEs must certify no injection of electrical energy into the National Transmission Network or General Distribution Networks.