The Government of Tierra del Fuego declared an Emergency in the Electrical Service System from May 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025.
It was made official through decree 996/24 published yesterday in the Official Gazette, and the measure covers Ushuaia, Tolhuin, Almanza and San Sebastián. Its objective is to carry out all actions that guarantee the provision and supply of electricity in the province, and instructs the Provincial Energy Directorate (DPE) to carry out “necessary actions to guarantee the electricity generation and distribution service to users, implementing contingency plans.”
These plans seek to carry out necessary work in the electrical energy generation and distribution system of Ushuaia, for “the purposes of alleviating the emergency situation; reformulate the projects and work plans of its jurisdiction, and any other action that it deems appropriate in order to reduce the energy consumption of the Ushuaia generating park; develop criteria for rational use of electricity consumption in the public and private sectors, and propose a system of penalties based on the increase in electricity consumption, taking the same seasonal period of the previous year as a reference.
“The DPE is instructed to, after a technical evaluation, void public and private tenders that are in process within its jurisdiction without a firm award, whose purpose is not strictly linked to the emergency declared herein, with the objective “to proceed to reallocate those resources to restore normal energy generation in the cities of Ushuaia, Tolhuin, Almanza and San Sebastián,” highlights the decree signed by Governor Gustavo Melella and the Minister of Energy Alejandro Aguirre.
It also delegates to the Provincial Contracting Office (OPC) the power and competence to “directly contract the goods and services necessary for the supply, maintenance, repair, updating and equipment that ensure the population the efficiency and quality of the electrical service.” , and authorizes the Ministry of Economy to make the necessary budget adjustments but adjusting to the forecasts contained in the corresponding budget year.
Finally, it confirms that the Rolls Royce turbine “came out of operation as a result of a failure in the control system, causing the city of Ushuaia to see its electricity supply service completely interrupted” on April 30, and points out that “the “The increase in housing in the urban area in recent years has significantly increased the number of users in need of electricity supply.”
“The growth of the productive activities of large, medium and small, commercial and tourist companies that impact on increasing requirements for the power to be supplied. The situation of public finances makes it difficult to promote the generation of new resources for the necessary financing that makes it possible to obtain the provision of equipment for the generating parks,” he concludes.
(Infofueguina)
