At the request of the government, the Chinese acquired part of the basic stock of electrical engineering in the Patagonian dams

CONDOR CLIFF, Santa Cruz.- The actions of the executive finally paid off: five months later Javier Iguacel, at the time at the head of the energy portfolio, he introduced him in his office to the ambbadador of the People's Republic of China in Buenos Aires, Yang Wanming, the need to dissociate Electroingeniería (EISA) from the joint venture that integrates the Chinese giant group Gezhouba and the hydrocuyo of Mendoza into the construction of the Patagon dams $ 4,714 million in civil engineering works, the largest in Argentina, of similar size to El Chocón –the diplomat understood the message. Diligent, he helped speed up the negotiations of purchase of 16% of the stock package owned by local builders (originally 36% owned), thereby reducing their participation.

In the current scheme, the Chinese dominate the market with 70% of the sharesfollowed by EISA with 20% and Hidrocuyo with the remaining 10%.

The uncertain judicial future of Gerardo Ferreyra, Vice President of Electroingeniería, arrested for the cause of notebooks revealing the payment of bribes and conversion into an badociate imputed Jorge Neira, former general manager of the Cordovan construction company, Along with a clause in the declaration that makes the Chinese jointly responsible for the eventual collapse of their partners, they sealed the negotiations on December 14th.

Everything has remained in reserve until now. Although the legal representatives of Gezhouba and Electroingeniería have officially signaled the operation by means of a note addressed to the regulator. Right there they exposed "that parties are willing to request further reduction of IESA's participation (Electroengineering) ".

Exceptionally, in this company denies the operation. They admit only "conversations" and argue that the change in stock is not recorded at the General Inspectorate of Justice.

Nothing transcends the amount of the acquisition and no one risks the numbers. But beyond what has been officially communicated, unquestionable sources have confirmed that the negotiations continue to completely displace the construction company Ferreyra dams. Before having to find another local partner, since the contract stipulates that 30% of the company must remain in the hands of the locals.

How does this company pbad change? It is now the Chinese who gravitate around everything and deal with local suppliers – tasks previously delegated to IESA – and this change of status quo, according to the engineers who work there, complicates things: "Payments to local suppliers are delayed more than account and communication, through translators, becomes complicated. The truth is that when you have to go through the concreting stages, everything will be even more difficult, "said Cliff's source, who asked to reserve his identity.

However, work is progressing at breakneck speed, particularly at the Barrancosa dam (LB, ex Cepernic) and the same to Condor Cliff (CC, former Néstor Kirchner). Excavation at LB, 46% complete and 25% completed, hopes that the sinuous course of the Santa Cruz can be hijacked in a year and a half.

In the case of CC, the excavations represent approximately 15% and 7% of the filling. The hydroelectric complex is a fact, badly despite the environmentalists who today seem to fight against the windmills.

In a round of Infobae for the works, it was possible to observe the construction work, after almost two years of imposition imposed by the Supreme Court of Justice for various irregularities. The heavy machinery arrived from China and operates almost all day. In both temporary villas they work 1500 operatorsThe majority are in Santa Cruz. The 80 Chinese professionals, highly qualified, they hardly interact with the inhabitants. Not even in the big dining rooms, because different schedules have been defined for their use. And even the diet differs. Also working days: while the Argentines work with a regime of 21 working days for 7 days of franc, the Asians stay six months in the windy steppe and return a month in China.

In less than two years, there will be between 5,500 and 6,000 workers. This will occur when the concrete of the dams and the five Francis turbines (with an installed capacity of 955 MW) for CC, and the three Kaplan turbines (360 MW) for LB, all manufactured in China, will be ready to be put in place. and will work. the most complex hydroelectric project: diverting the course of Santa Cruz, from 350 km long, the largest continental basin of glacial origin in the world which adds the peculiarity of traversing the breadth of the country until it empties itself into the Atlantic. Your estuary has a biodiversity richness which is the reason for fierce struggles in the courts.

The two reservoirs will flood 250 km2 of steppe in the case of the cliff of Condor (place christened by Charles Darwin during his foray into the Santa Cruz during the observation of Andean condors flying over the "cliffs" plateaus) and 200 additional km2 for LB. There will be two huge mirrors of glacial water, turquoise milky color, near the sediments, in the midst of an inhospitable enclave, where winds can reach up to 100 km / h. A hundred breeders, including Lázaro Báezthey must be compensated later expropriation lawsuit.

No impact on the Perito Moreno glacier

Although the environmental controversy is continuing, the redesign of the project, reducing the number of wind turbines and lowering the height of the 2.40 m Condor Cliff dam and the La Barrancosa dam, ensures, according to IESA engineers, that they visited the works with Infobae, the decoupling with the Argentine lake. In other words, the lower level of the dam downstream – there will be only one stretch of 6 to 8 km from the Santa Cruz River in its original course, its mouth of Argentino Lake at Charles Furh station – guarantee not to affect the Perito Moreno glacier.

At this point, there is an agreement with the the specialists of the University of La Plata, engaged to supervise the work, on the non involvement of the glacial mbad, one of the largest freshwater reservoirs on the planet, as well as an undisputed tourist attraction.

Now, the controversial points focus on other issues, between the environment and the legal: the impact on migratory birds of 170 km by the power line connecting the dams to the interconnected national system, the recovery of archaeological and paleontological heritage , questions on the presentation of environmental impact studies.

The controversy has opened a game of varied environmental compensations that the UTE and IESA have committed to complete. They are already in the megaproject, which former minister Juan José Aranguren has reduced his costs: they were $ 1,300 million less of the original black offer approved by the Former Minister Julio De Vido and his right hand José López, the two prisoners. However, they came out unscathed from this call for scandalous offers. For some reason, allegations of corruption in the energy portfolio when reviewing contracts shone by their absence.

Environmental compensation

A archaeological and palaeontological museum exhibit in Santa Cruz the pieces recovered during the excavations and housed in two containers, vestiges of hunter-gatherers; River and glacier monitoring stations by Conicet experts and studies on vulnerable fish fauna such as Rainbow Steelhead and Rainbow Trout with avifauna like macá tobiano, cauquén colorado, redfish, on the fringes of the iconic condor of the Andes, are part of programs in the process of environmental mitigation.

The complex of hydroelectric uses of Patagonia already has an end date: if the environmental controversy is settled Barrancosa will be operational in September 2023 and, seven months later, Condor Cliff. Both will generate 4% of the energy consumed by the country.

After Yacyretá, Salto Grande and Piedra del Águila, the Patagonian dams will be located in fourth place in the ranking of the largest hydropower plants in Argentina. But also in the first to fully Chinese technology, who will exploit them for a period of 20 years, contributing to the chests of Santa Cruz $ 90 million a year in royalties.

Only later, Chinese credit debts were settled, they will become fully sovereign.

PHOTOS: Axel Indik and Ieasa courtesy