Bids to build the combined hydropower scheme in Santa Cruz province were submitted by one consortium comprising Impsa, Corporación América and Camargo Corrêa, and the other is a joint venture of Electroingeniería, IECSA and José Cartellone Construcciones Civiles.

Details of the bids were not disclosed, but an investment requirement of approximately US$1B has been previously attached to the hydropower complex.

Six consortia had expressed interest in the two-plant scheme to be construction on the Santa Cruz river in the Patagonia region of the country. The river has been described with a reference flow rate of approximately 700m3/s, and the hydropower complex is to have a total installed capacity of 1,700MW.

It had been anticipated that the successful bidder would be known by now, with the announcement originally scheduled for mid-March, but the tender process is running behind the schedule.

Other consortia that had expressed interest were: Isolux Corsán and Andrade Gutierrez; Techint, Grupo Roggio, Esuco and Supercemento; Hidroeléctrica Futaleufú, Odebrecht and Aluar Aluminio Argentino; and Panedille Argentina.