President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, reported to be recovering from the effects of the coronavirus in the National Palace, on Monday submitted a bill to congress that could change the rules of the game in the Mexican electricity market.

AMLO

Analysts and sector participants have said the proposed changes to grant state power company Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) priority in power dispatch would go a long way to scrapping the 2013-2014 energy reform that aimed to ensure a fair and competitive market in electricity.

As an “iniciativa preferente,” or preferential initiative, the lower house may be expected to approve the bill this month, followed by a senate vote by the end of March. As it stands, the president’s Morena party has a majority in both houses of...