“Portezuelo del Viento” project presented

The project, approved by the Framework of the Agreement for Collaboration between the Province of Mendoza and the Argentine Government, entails the construction of a multipurpose hydroelectric power station which will be located on the Rio Grande river, in the city of Malargüe, Province of Mendoza. The power station will have an installed capacity of 210 MW, and once built, its ownership will be transferred to the Province of Mendoza and it will be operated by Empresa Mendocina de Energía S.A. (“EMESA”).

The project includes the construction of:

• A hydroelectric power station associated with an installed capacity of 210 MW (three Francis turbines of 70 MW each).
• 250 kilometers of power line from Portezuelo to Malargüe and the Río Diamante Electrical Substation, where it enters the interconnected system.
• 41.8 kilometers of National Route 145 and modifications to provincial route no. 226.
• 50 homes located in the vicinity of the dam to relocate the families that live in the town of Las Loicas.

The total cost of the project will be 1,023 million dollars. According to Federal Decree No. 519/2019, the amount will be paid through treasury bills issued by the Argentine Government, following an amortization schedule that lasts from October 2019 to October 2024. This schedule is in line with the timeline of the project.

The provisional date for the offers’ submissions is March 4 2020, and the Province of Mendoza is in charge of awarding the tender.

The first obligatory onsite visit will be held on October 16. This will be the first of the monthly scheduled visits which the bidders must attend at least once. During these visits the bidders will obtain a certificate, which will be required along with the offer submission.