The Supreme Court of Argentina has begun hearing a lawsuit filed by the province of Chubut against the national government. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of two laws governing the electricity sector. According to the provincial administration, these laws infringe upon its sovereignty over natural resources and affect the Futaleufú hydroelectric plant. Governor Ignacio Torres and the provincial Attorney General, Andrés Giacomone, are seeking the declaration of laws 15.336 and 24.065 as unconstitutional. They argue that these norms “manifestly and arbitrarily” violate the province's right to natural resources, including watercourses. Chubut also insists on its exclusive authority to decide on the concession, extension, or operation of the Futaleufú Hydroelectric Plant. The original concession, granted to Aluar in 1995, expires in June 2025. The Court has also involved the Ministry of Economics. The justices ruled that the case falls under their original jurisdiction and that the requested precautionary measures by Chubut will be analyzed once the national government files its response. The Futaleufú Hydroelectric Plant, located in northwestern Chubut, was built in 1994 to supply power to Aluar's aluminum plant in Puerto Madryn and is one of the main sources of electricity generation in the region. Last September, the national government temporarily extended the concession for 90 days to carry out a new tender and ensure the plant's continuous operation. After confirming its original jurisdiction, the judges, Horacio Rosatti, Carlos Rosenkrantz, and Ricardo Lorenzetti, granted the national government a 60-day period to respond to the lawsuit, in accordance with articles 319 and 322 of the National Civil and Commercial Procedural Code.
