Examining governability of Mexico’s natural gas transmission pipelines under the energy reform

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Mexico’s energy reform reshaped the governing system of the natural gas sector with the objective to attract substantial private investment in infrastructure and to guarantee security of supply. This article examines governability of gas transmission pipelines under interactive governance theory. The analysis demonstrates that Mexico’s transmission pipelines system is especially difficult to govern due to its high complexity and can be expected to be less governable after the energy reform. Governability can be improved by implementing the steering mechanisms available to the governing system to prevent the risk of capture of the regulatory agencies, by fostering consistency among institutions, by strengthening judicial independence and by creating collaborative capacity at a regional level.