After an order from Neuquén and Río Negro, the Executive extended for 15 days the call to contest to sell majority actions in strategic plants.
The government officially officially a New 15 -day extension to start the national and international public tender that will put on sale the majority shareholding pack of four key hydroelectric dams: Alicurá, El Chocón, Cerros Colorados and Piedra del Águila.
The measure was arranged through Decree 263/2025published today in the Official Gazette With the firm of the president Javier Milei and of economic cabinet officials. The Executive thus responds to a joint request of the governors of Neuquén, Rolando Figueroaand Black River, Alberto Weretilneckwho requested more time for provincial technical teams to analyze the privatization process and formulate observations.
The dams, at the center of the new privatizations scheme
The four dams involved in this process were transferred to new societies created by ENARSA and Argentine Nucleotic Sa (NASA) through him Decree 718/2024which established an initial period of 180 days to convene the privatization contest. Then, the Decree 895/2024 modified that schedule and incorporated into the Public Business Transformation Agency as a process coordinating, in conjunction with the Ministry of Energy.
With the extension now officialized, the government ratifies your intention to advance with the sale of strategic assetsalthough it seeks to give space to the participation of the provinces involved and the interjurisdictional organisms that manage the water resources of the national energy system.
“It is appropriate to set a period of fifteen days, counted from the publication of the present, so that the aforementioned provinces and all the interjurisdictional agencies involved take due participation in the process,” says the official text.
A process with strong regional impact
The dams are located in the region of the Comahue Basinone of the most relevant hydroelectric poles. The privatization process generates tension between the national government and the Patagonian provinces, which seek to ensure interference in the future management of water and energy resources.
The Public Business Transformation Agencydependent on Ministry of Economywill be in charge of establish the conditions of the tender, approve the specifications and guarantee compliance with the objectives set by the dismissal plan.
Political and economic context
The sale of the dams is registered within the framework of the State reform plan promoted by President Milei, who aims to reduce the fiscal deficit and get rid of public companies considered unnecessary or inefficient. The decision to open the game to private investors – both national and international – is part of a broader strategy of economic deregulation.
It is expected that in the coming weeks the Award criteria, provincial participation mechanisms and investment commitments which must assume future majority shareholders.
Source: Ambito
