Chubut Governor Ignacio Torres seeks greater royalties and launches major infrastructure works

The government of Argentina's Chubut province, led by Governor Ignacio Torres, convened with municipal leaders to form a unified stance on the upcoming licensing process for the Futaleufú hydroelectric complex. The province is pressing for higher water‑use royalties, greater provincial and municipal participation in the tender, and the inclusion of infrastructure commitments from the future concessionaire. Torres also appointed a state prosecutor to represent Chubut in national energy negotiations. The demand follows a legal dispute that began in February 2024, in which Chubut challenged national electricity laws and sought a precautionary measure to block unilateral renewal of the Futaleufú concession. The Supreme Court of Argentina affirmed its jurisdiction over the case in November 2025.

In parallel, Torres announced a series of infrastructure projects in the Andean "Comarca" region, signing agreements in Lago Puelo for works valued at more than $3.7 billion. The plan, called Plan Galina, includes the construction of large water cisterns, expansion of gas pipelines, and upgrades to urban and road services, aiming to address a historic investment gap. The governor highlighted the province’s debt reduction of $360 million and introduced a new transparency system to let citizens track public works in real time.