Amy Stillman, Bloomberg News

MEXICO CITY
EnergiesNet.ciom 03 28 2022

Mexico’s president rejected calls to make broad concessions over a controversial electricity bill that would boost the power of the state utility and weaken that of private operators. 

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday he doesn’t want key elements of the bill to change as his ruling Morena party prepares to begin debating the legislation in congress next week. It’s “probable” that the lower house will vote on it before mid-April, and that the senate will vote on it before the end of the month, he said. 

“We have a position that we are going to defend and the legislators are the ones who are going to decide,” said AMLO, as the president is known. “My proposal is that the initiative be considered as we present it, that there are no modifications. Above all, to its fundamental aspects.”

His reluctance to water down the legislation will make it harder to get the legislation approved. Key opposition lawmakers have said they won’t back it without significant changes, such as preserving independent energy regulators and giving guarantees to private companies. 

The bill seeks to boost the power of state-owned utility Comision Federal de Electricidad, or CFE, in the electricity market. Increasing state control of Mexico’s energy sector was one of AMLO’s key campaign promises. 

bloomberg.com 03 25 2022