Since the Constitutional energy reform approved by Congress in March, Mexico’s energy sector has entered a new phase with the publication of six long-awaited regulations covering Hydrocarbons, Geothermal Energy, Electricity, Biofuels, and Energy Transition.

Announced by President Claudia Sheinbaum, the new framework—effective October 4—outlines the course for the country’s energy policy with further details aimed at providing regulatory clarity for investors.

The Hydrocarbons Regulation details procedures for exploration and development, including  new rules for permits, allocations, and licensing. The Geothermal Regulation establishes a legal framework for exploration and exploitation of geothermal resources. In the Electricity Regulation, the State reasserts its central role through a framework emphasizing Energy Justice and formally introduces the National Energy Commission (CNE) as the new regulatory authority. The Biofuels Regulation governs production, transport, storage, and commercialization of biofuels, while the Energy Transition Regulation sets out binding planning mechanisms to strengthen clean energy deployment, emissions reduction, and sustainable energy use—all while maintaining competitiveness and Energy Sovereignty as key tenets.

According to Luz Elena González, Mexico’s Secretary of Energy, the new regulatory pillars “advance the transformation and strengthening of Mexico’s energy sector,” consolidating secondary legislation and providing a modern, sustainable, and people-centered framework for the country’s energy future.

To address these issues and provide a deeper understanding of the new legal and regulatory framework in Mexico, we are pleased to host our first part in a series of virtual discussions featuring Rodolfo Rueda, a partner at Holland & Knight based in Mexico City, Regina Legorreta, senior counsel at Holland & Knight also based in Mexico City, and Francisco X. Salazar, an independent consultant and Non-Resident Fellow at the Institute of the Americas.