President López Obrador made an unexpected announcement by calling on private business to join a broad project to develop clean energy in Northern Mexico. He pointed out that a group of 17 U.S. solar and wind electricity generation companies made commitments to the Mexican government upon receiving the assurance that there will be “fair and equal” treatment, in accordance with the guidelines contained in the USMCA. The foregoing occurred at the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, where Mexico assumed the commitment to promote renewable energy, reduce methane emissions, and at the same time suppor U.S. investments in Mexico. It may be inferred that this is the result of visits by U.S. diplomat and politician John Kerry, the special presidential envoy for climate, to President López Obrador, and the support of Ambassador Ken Salazar, who has been present in the meetings and negotiations leading up to it. The announcement also referred to the advisability of creating solar power plants in Mexican territory along the U.S. , and the construction of transmission networks which allow the export of electricity to California and eventually to other states. In this manner, Mexico’s CFE could increase its supply of energy to the neighboring country. The news is encouraging, although it was received with caution by some players because it could imply favoritism for certain companies and seems to ignore the fact that at least the generation and sale of electricity are subject to free competition. The announcement follows the recent absence of Mexico’s president at the Summit of the Americas held in Los Angeles, which could have suggested some tension between the two governments that affected the bilateral relationship. However, it is hoped that the declaration puts the relationship on an improved path for the development of important projects in the region.
