Mendoza assumes control of Los Nihuiles hydroelectric complex and launches 30‑year concession

Governor Alfredo Cornejo traveled to southern Mendoza on Friday to formalise the province’s takeover of the Los Nihuiles hydroelectric complex on the Atuel River. The previous concession, signed in 1994, has expired and the provincial and national governments have jointly opened a public national‑and‑international tender to award a new 30‑year operating licence.

Interim management of the plant has been handed to the state‑owned Hidroelectricidad Mendocina S.A. (HEMSA), which will keep the existing staff and engineers in place while the bidding process proceeds. The tender also includes the transfer of HEMSA’s share package and a substantial investment plan to modernise the facilities. Two of the four generating units, Nihuil II and III, have been out of service since a severe flood in January 2025 and will require major rehabilitation under the new concession.

The authorities say the new operator will be required to upgrade the remaining units, improve efficiency and ensure long‑term sustainability of the complex, which is a key component of Mendoza’s energy matrix and the Argentine Interconnected System.