On May 8, 2026, the Mexican Department of Energy (“SENER”) published in the Official Journal of the Federation (“DOF”) the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Self-Consumption Single Window (the “VUA”), establishing an interinstitutional platform intended to consolidate various procedures associated with electricity generation under the self-consumption regime, both isolated and interconnected, for power plants with an installed capacity equal to or greater than 0.7 MW and up to 20 MW. The VUA is intended to consolidate multiple procedures in a single platform and streamline the timeframes for processing them.
The VUA is a platform jointly operated by SENER, the National Energy Commission (“CNE”), the National Center for Energy Control (“CENACE”), and the Federal Electricity Commission (“CFE”), with each institution responsible for the procedures within its respective authority. Through a single portal, interested parties may manage applications for interconnection studies and the execution of the corresponding contract, as well as various procedures before CFE, and link the application for an electricity generation permit, although the latter must still be submitted through the CNE’s Electronic Filing Desk (“OPE”). Likewise, applicants may link their application for the Energy Sector Social Impact Assessment (“MISSE”), which must also be submitted through a specific SENER portal.
Shorter Timeframes.
The main benefit of the VUA is the establishment of specific timeframes for each stage of the process. CENACE must address an interconnection study application within a maximum of 30 business days, or 38 business days if additional information is required. With respect to the MISSE, SENER has up to 40 business days from its submission to process the application. As for the generation permit, the CNE will have 30 business days from the admission of the application to issue a decision, which may be extended to 35 business days if additional information is required. It should be noted that admission of the generation permit application is subject to the prior acceptance of the results of the interconnection studies issued by CENACE.
General Procedure.
The VUA procedure follows these steps; first, the applicant creates an account at the platform; the applicant then submits the documentation required for the interconnection study application to CENACE, including the corresponding proof of payment. In parallel or beforehand, the MISSE is processed before SENER. Once the information required through the VUA has been completed, the generation permit application is submitted to the CNE through the OPE, which must be done within 10 business days following the submission of the proof of payment for the interconnection study application.
Practical Impact.
The implementation of the VUA represents a significant regulatory effort to centralize and coordinate administrative procedures that were previously handled separately. For developers of on-site generation projects in Mexico, this translates into greater certainty regarding processing times and a simplified interaction with the various authorities involved.
Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the VUA will largely depend on the operational coordination among SENER, CNE, CENACE, and CFE, as well as their ability to comply with the timeframes established in the Guidelines. We have also observed that the VUA requires information that is not otherwise required under the individual procedures, which may result in additional costs for applicants. For example, applicants must complete a new “Annex IV” in Excel for the interconnection application and provide information regarding multiple authorizations issued by federal, state, and municipal authorities.
In any event, there is a clear willingness within the Federal Public Administration to promote and incentivize self-consumption projects, including SENER officials’ openness to respond questions and facilitate the processing of applications. Overall, the regulatory environment is favorable for the development of this type of projects in the short and medium term, particularly for large electricity end users seeking to reduce costs, increase certainty regarding their procurement, and advance their sustainability objectives.
At CCN, we have extensive experience in the structuring, development, and financing of on-site electricity generation projects, as well as in obtaining permits and authorizations before the authorities of the Mexican electricity sector. We would be pleased to assist clients throughout each stage of their self-consumption projects.