The Nation reversed course and reduced the extension of the Los Nihuiles concession

The Secretary of Energy of the Nationthrough resolution 98/2024 published this Tuesday in the Official Gazette, reversed course and reduced the extension of the concession of the hydroelectric system The Nihuiles from twelve to six months, starting June 1.

In 1994, after an agreement between Nation and Mendoza, Progress was made with the privatization of hydroelectric systems and a 30-year contract was signed with a company made up mostly of Pampa Energía.

For this reason, with the expiration of the contract approaching, on May 27, the Ministry of Energy and Environment of the province had issued decree No. 1,021, through which it extended the contract for one more year as part of a transition, while moving forward with a new tender.

“The provincial government has decided to use the transition period established in the concession contract to extend the operation and maintenance for another 12 months, in charge of the current concessionaire of the Los Nihuiles complex.“, the Minister of Energy had expressed Jimena Latorre.

This decree was supported by resolution 83 of the National Energy Secretariat, published on May 31. There, dealers were also obliged to “continue in charge of the corresponding Hydroelectric Complex and comply with all obligations derived from the concession contract for TWELVE (12) months, in order to preserve the safety of the people and assets located in the Basin.”.

However, this Tuesday, in a new resolution, the national body decided to reduce this time by half, ensuring that after analyzing the situation “understands that it is not necessary to maintain said term, which is why it is proposed to set it at SIX (6) months, extendable for the same term”.

In this way, the portfolio commanded by Eduardo Rodríguez Chirillo decided that the article establishing the extension of the concession be worded as follows:

“The beginning of the transition period there is established within the framework of the provisions of Article 57.1 of the Concession Contract with HIDROELÉCTRICA LOS NIHUILES SA of the so-called Los Nihuiles System, and in order to preserve the safety of people and assets located in the Basin. provided for the term of SIX (6) months extendable for the same period, in which the concessionaire must continue in charge of the corresponding Hydroelectric Complex and comply with all its obligations derived from the concession contract.“

The history of the system

In the 1960s, a process of planning and developing hydroelectricity began throughout the country through the companies Agua y Energía Eléctrica Sociedad del Estado (AYEE SE) and hydroeléctrica Norpatagónica Sociedad Anónima (Hidronor SA), the who were responsible for the construction of the dams.

In 1993, under the mandate of Rodolfo Gabriellithe national State agreed to transfer “for consideration, in favor of the Province of Mendoza, the so-called Los Nihuiles System”.

In that agreement, a concession contract for the use of water resources was established by the Legislature of the Province of Mendoza, through Law No. 6088 dated November 17, 1993 (hereinafter, the Provincial Concession) and, on the other hand, On the other hand, the concession to generate electrical energy by the national State. The permit reached at that time was for 30 years, ending on June 1, 2024.

The hydroelectric system is made up of four dams:

• The Nihuil I hydroelectric exploitation is made up of the El Nihuil reservoir (1947), and the system’s head dam. The unevenness generated is used in the Nihuil I hydroelectric plant (75 MW) “Ing. “Juan Eugenio Maggi”.
• The Nihuil II hydroelectric use is made up of the Aisol dam (1969), from which the Nihuil II hydroelectric plant (131.2 MW) is fed.
• The Nihuil III hydroelectric development is made up of the Tierras Blancas dam – built in 1969 but came into service in 1977 – and the Nihuil III hydroelectric plant (52 MW).
• The system is completed with the Valle Grande reservoir (1964), to which is added the Nihuil IV hydroelectric plant (30 MW), which began operations in 1997. From 1990 to 2017, the average annual generation was 838 GWh, with a maximum of 1,250 GWh recorded in 2006 and a minimum of 516 GWh, recorded in 2014