With 22 votes in favor – from Morena, PT and PES – and 10 against – from PAN, PRI, PRD and MC-, Fourth Transformation lawmakers followed President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and, without substantial changes, endorsed his initiative with a preference for amendment of the Electricity Industry Act and in favor of the Federal Electricity Commission in fossil fuel production, and downgrades individuals in this field.
This opinion was endorsed after a long five-hour debate and allegations between lawmakers from the 4T and the opposition, and was handed over to the plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, where all reservations will be released and are expected to be approved next Tuesday. 2.3.
On February 1, President López Obrador began his counter-reform in the field of energy and his first step was to present a preferential initiative to change the law on the electricity industry and implement a new energy policy and, according to his perspective, the prices for the users.
In this document, it was decided to give priority to the electrical energy produced by the Mexican state and that the service to consumers will be provided first by the hydroelectric power distribution network; second, because of what is generated by the CFE factories; thirdly, through wind or solar energy from private individuals and finally through combined cycle energy from private companies.
With this new arrangement, the private will be relegated to third and fourth place in preferring to provide electricity to consumers, in addition to being subject to government plans in the matter.
One of the most important changes made to the opinion by the Morena representatives is the addition of a transitional article, so that “all provisions which oppose the provisions of this decision” are repealed. In addition, the Energy Regulatory Commission is empowered to review or revoke self-sufficiency permits obtained through fraudulent use of the law.
In this debate, Deputy Carol Antonio Altamirano, of Morena, pointed out that they support López Obrador’s initiative because they identify and share the nationalist orientation it encourages, adding that – without falling into personal disqualifications – they do not coincide with the opposition, because it is about saving this country’s energy sovereignty.
“Nor should it be forgotten that the PRI and PAN alliance imposed a reform that betrayed our history of giving the private sector the usufruct of the oil reserves already identified by Pemex and that it maintained an unequal tax treatment, in which the companies Private Businesses can deduct more operating expenses than Pemex is allowed to deduct, creating an artificial benefit to the private sector.
“The energy reform promoted by the PRI and PAN was disastrous and today the warning we gave them eight years ago is clear,” said Carol Antonio Altamirano.
Meanwhile, Deputy Hernán Salinas (PAN) stressed that this statement “from our perspective will have devastating consequences not only for our country’s present, but also for the future of its generations.”
The legislator specified that “a counter-reform in the energy sector is being debated, in particular the issue of the electricity sector, which threatens the viability of economic growth and that the country can produce what it needs.”
The deputy of the PRI, Enrique Ochoa Reza, presented a private vote, reestablishing the views of energy, legal and social experts, who warn that this preferential initiative is in violation of several articles of the constitution. It indicated that, moreover, the comments of the Federal Economic Competition Commission are integrated as, despite being referred to this legislative body, it is not one of the elements to be considered in this opinion.
PT Deputy Gerardo Fernández Noroña affirmed the need to end subsidies harming CFE’s finances and achieve self-sufficiency in energy issues, as it is a matter of national security, and accused of it that Mexico has lost 412 billion for keeping strange parasitic plants.
Meanwhile, Deputy Zulma Espinoza Mata for the Green Party said her political faction coincides with the executive’s initiative on the need to strengthen the federal electricity commission to ensure system reliability and quality; However, he added that this cannot be at the expense of the promotion of clean energy, as these are fundamental in mitigating climate change.