The bidding process for the concessions of eight Argentine hydroelectric dams in northern Patagonia took a turn marked by the exclusion of the provinces involved.
The National Energy Secretariat , headed by María Tettamanti , sent a draft of the specifications that does not include the shareholding of Neuquén and Río Negro.
The new scheme maintains provincial representation of the Interjurisdictional Basin Authority (AIC) , but critics point out that it lacks the capacity to effectively influence the operation of hydroelectric plants .
This situation has led Governors Rolando Figueroa and Alberto Weretilneck to demand a more significant role in the concessions , but the national government has responded that there will be no room for provincial participation in the concessions.
Javier Milei 's administration made it clear that the approach will be based on complete privatization , limiting the provinces to mere participation in expressing their opinion on the terms of the bidding process.
Although a fee imposed on hydroelectric plants by provincial governments is recognized, it has not yet been collected , further complicating relations between the parties.
The tender includes the operation and maintenance of four state-created corporations : El Chocón, Piedra del Águila, Alicurá, and Cerros Colorados . A fifth, Pichi Picún Leufú, will not be subject to this process because it still has years of concession remaining .
One of the most controversial issues is the obligation of new concessionaires to invest in works to contain the flooding of the Neuquén River , a mandate from more than two decades ago that the national government has yet to fulfill.
The exclusion of provincial governments from key decisions raises concerns about the future of these important infrastructure projects, as well as their impact on the region's sustainability and energy security .
At a time when the country should be debating the use and conservation of its natural resources , the question that arises is: Are local interests really favored in a system that prioritizes exclusively the private sector?
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