Paraguay lawmakers keep energy ministry creation flame lit

Paraguayan legislators have proposed that a workgroup consolidate different bills that would create an energy ministry, the senate reported.

The news followed a meeting of the energy, natural resources, population, environment, production, and development committee. The workgroup is scheduled to meet next week.

Currently, energy together with mines is a department (SSME) within the public works and communications ministry.

Issues related to funding and overlapping roles have kept initiatives to create the ministry from advancing.

ITAIPU TREATY

The senate also announced the establishment of a national commission that will study and accompany the review of annex C of the Itaipu treaty with Brazil.

Paraguay is pushing to improve terms ahead of the treaty’s expiration in 2023.

The commission is made up of eight regular and eight alternate senators and an equal number of lower house members, as well as three regular and three alternate representatives of the Mercosur parliament.

Also read Historical: Senate will participate in the revision of Annex C of the Itaipu treaty, Revision of Annex “C” is one of the priorities of the appointed Interim Director General of Itaipú for Paraguay and Executive delivered technical documents to the Foreign Ministry for the revision of Annex "C" of Itaipu

SSME information shows that the Itaipu hydroelectric dam covered 88% of Paraguay’s electricity demand in April, followed by Yacyreta (9%) – shared with Argentina – and Paraguayan state power company Ande’s Acaray hydro plant (3%).