It has been remarked that in recent years there have been two failed openings in the energy sector: gas and power. Building on policy guidelines developed by his predecessor, the government of Ernesto Zedillo (1994‐2000) launched a major reform in the natural gas sector: the Natural Gas Act of 1995 established that the importation and export of natural gas was open to private parties, as was the construction, ownership and operation of gas transmission lines and gas storage facilities (then understood as ones in salt caverns or abandoned gas wells).
In addition, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) was established to attend to the public tendering and administration of natural gas distribution franchises, as well as to tariffs and policies in conditions where a lack of competitive conditions were deemed to exist. It was understood at the time that in the future Pemex Gas would no longer be involved in the construction and business management of new gas transmission lines.
