After getting most of the regulations and guidelines out of the way, 2016 was the year when everything actually started to happen in the new Mexican energy market. The authorities launched the power auctions that saw private generators offer some of the world’s lowest electricity prices in long-term contracts with the CFE, initiating a process that could produce a wildly different energy environment for the heavily industry-dependent country in just a few years.

This chapter provides a glance at what happened during the last year from the perspective of some of the most important players in the sector, from the regulators who built the framework to the industry leaders that provided insight and worked side by side with lawyers and international institutions to achieve the best possible outcome for the country’s energy liberalization. It also explores some of the pending matters and yet-to- be developed opportunities on the horizon as public and private participants alike find a firmer footing in this new terrain.