On February 16, 2026, the “Acuerdo por el que se emiten las Disposiciones Administrativas de Carácter General sobre la Manifestación de Impacto Social del Sector Energético” (the DACGS) was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation, which establishes the regulatory framework applicable to the Manifestación de Impacto Social del Sector Energético (MISSE).
The new provisions aim to ensure that energy sector projects have a comprehensive social impact assessment prior to their development, which considers the sustainability of the projects, the well-being of the communities involved and respect for human rights.
The main aspects of this regulation are highlighted below.
Projects subject to MISSE submission
The DACGS establishes the obligation to submit a Manifestation of Social Impact of the Energy Sector (MISSE) for the development of projects in various segments of the energy sector, among them:
- Hydrocarbons sector: exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons, refining and processing of petroleum, storage, transportation, distribution and dispatch for self-consumption of hydrocarbons or petroleum products, as well as activities related to natural gas.
- Electricity sector: electric power generation, electric power transmission and storage utilities.
- Other energy sectors: production, transportation and storage1 of biofuels and exploration of geothermal resources requiring infrastructure or drilling of wells.
Content of the Social Impact Statement
The MISSE shall integrate information on the project and its social environment, including:
- General information on the project, technical characteristics, development stages and location.
- Delimitation of the Area of Influence, including core area, area of direct influence and area of indirect influence.
- Identification of stakeholders within the area of influence, including indigenous or Afro-Mexican peoples and communities.
- Identification and assessment of positive and negative social impacts derived from the project.
- A Social Management Plan that includes measures for prevention, mitigation, remediation or compensation of negative impacts, as well as actions to enhance positive impacts.
In addition, the promoter must submit annual reports on compliance with the measures set forth in the Social Management Plan.
Shared social benefits
The new provisions expand the obligation to establish shared social benefits, which now applies to all sectors of the energy sector.
It also establishes that the annual amount allocated to such benefits must be equal to or greater than the amount allocated to measures to address social impacts, in addition to providing for follow-up mechanisms on their implementation.
Evaluation procedure
The MISSE must be submitted through the Energy Window, an electronic platform enabled by the Secretariat of Energy for the reception and follow-up of this procedure.
The authority may:
- Authorize the project;
- Conditional authorization, for example, when additional mitigation measures or prior consultation processes are required; or
- Deny authorization when there are significant negative social impacts, lack of consent in prior consultation procedures or false information presented.
The Energy Secretariat will have a term of 90 calendar days for projects in the electricity sector and 90 business days for hydrocarbon, geothermal and biofuel projects to issue the corresponding resolution.
Entry into force
The DACGS became effective on February 17, 2026, one day after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation.
Likewise, the General Administrative Provisions on Social Impact Assessment published in 2018 are abrogated, while the procedures that are in process will continue to be resolved in accordance with the regulations in force at the time of their presentation.
Implications for the energy sector
The new provisions reinforce the social focus in the development of energy projects in Mexico by establishing more detailed requirements for the evaluation of social impacts and expanding the obligation to generate shared benefits with the communities within the area of influence of the projects.
In this context, it is advisable for energy project developers to evaluate in advance the potential social impacts of their projects and strengthen their social management and community relations strategies in order to comply with the new regulatory framework.
In Vega, Guerrero y Asociados we have experience in regulatory advice on energy, environmental and social impact matters, including the analysis of regulatory obligations applicable to projects in the energy sector, the preparation and review of Social Impact Statements, as well as the accompaniment in procedures before competent authorities. Our team is at your disposal to analyze the impact of these new provisions on your projects and support their proper implementation.
