Today, July 22nd, 2025, Resolution 311/2025 (“Resolution 311”) issued by the Secretary of Energy (“SE”) was published in the Official Gazette in line with the recently added Section 31 bis of Law No. 24.065, which establishes that expansions of the Argentine Interconnection System may be carried out at the free will and own risk of whom executes them and regulations for such expansions should include the alternative of pursuing them under the Public Works Concessions framework (see our commentaries on the reform in the Electricity Sector here). This measure continues with the path set forth by Resolution 715/2025 of the Ministry of Economy, which defined the undertaking of certain expansions of the power transmission system as priority to be carried out under the terms of the Public Works Concession Law No. 17,520 (see our comments on this matter here).
These measures are aimed to set the stage for the next public bidding process to be carried concerning power transmission expansions and removing barriers that have historically hindered private sector participation in this industry. In that regard, the Undersecretary of Electric Energy (“SSEE”) is instructed to prepare the bidding documents for the “AMBA I”, “Línea 500 kV Río Diamante – Charlone – O´Higgins” and “Línea 500 kV Puerto Madryn – Choele Choel – Bahía Blanca” expansion works with the purpose of contracting their construction, operation and maintenance under the Public Works Concession structure.
Apart from a series of amendments to transmission expansions and the power regulatory framework, Resolution 311 instructs the SSEE to draft a new section that adds the transmission expansions by Public Works Concession structure to other existing alternatives.
In line with Resolution 715/2025 of the Ministry of Economy -which established that the contractor may finance the expansions by means of a monthly payment to be funded by a rate collected from end-users of the service identified as beneficiaries- CAMMESA is instructed to assist the SE in the determination of the end-user’s beneficiary of the above-mentioned works.
In addition, Resolution 311 introduces alternative financing structures to be included within each bidding process, encouraging private financing in exchange for obtaining the assignment of dispatch priority and/or priority of expansion use.
Although several additional steps are still pending, Resolution 311 has the potential, not only to reverse the current situation of deficit in the electricity transmission system -which currently presents risks associated with supply restrictions- but also to promote private investment across various industries.
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For additional information, please contact Nicolás Eliaschev, Javier Constanzó, Daiana Perrone, Milagros Piñeiro, Macarena Becerra, María Paz Albar Díaz, Rocío Valdez, Victoria Barrueco, Sol Villegas Leiva, and/or Manuel Crespi.