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Mexico will pay Iberdrola for plants later on this month, president says

The Mexican government will pay Spanish power business Iberdrola for the purchase of 13 plants in the country on Feb. 26, the country's president stated on Friday.

The announcement from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in a routine interview comes a day after Mexico's. antitrust regulator Cofece conditionally authorized the purchase.

The purchase, worth $6 billion, will bring the state approximately. managing 60% of the nation's electricity generation, Lopez. Obrador said, praising Cofece for the authorization.

Cofece licensed the purchase, of course, (with). constraints that the plants do not pay the Federal Electrical power. Commission (CFE) because otherwise (it) ends up being a monopoly,. Lopez Obrador stated, referring to Mexico's state-owned power. firm.

It was not immediately clear if Cofece's decision would. enable the CFE to be the plants' sole operator moving forward.

Even before Thursday's announcement, the vast majority of. the plants' generating capability was under agreement to be sold to. the CFE.

Lopez Obrador said the government was still looking into how. it might lawfully abide by Cofece's conditions.

The conditions imposed by the independent regulator will. force the purchasers to run the power generation plants. separately in the market, and prevent the exchange of sensitive. or strategic information amongst rivals, according to. Cofece's statement on Thursday.

(source: Reuters)