September 15 () –
This week, Sumar will present to the Plenary Session of the Congress of Deputies an initiative to create a public business entity to manage the country’s hydroelectric plants, by assuming the management of the completed concessions of the public hydraulic domain.
The group bases its proposal on the fact that public management of electricity generation “is essential” for energy sovereignty. Therefore, it does not understand why part of the profits obtained in the sector should not be returned to the State, and the ideal would be to implement a logic in which “social welfare is rewarded over the maximization of economic benefits.”
The plurinationals understand that the private management of hydroelectric resources “does not operate under criteria of competition” and the regulation to try to correct bad practices in the sector “has repeatedly proven ineffective.”
As an example, Sumar points out that last January the National Court acquitted Iberdrola Generación of the accusation by the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) of manipulating its generation portfolio to maximize the profits of its hydroelectric plants.
“Solving this problem requires intervening with other instruments. And this is only possible with a strong public sector,” the multinational group stressed in its text, reported by Europa Press.
THAT THE COMPANY HAS AUTONOMY IN ITS MANAGEMENT
Given this situation, the party proposes a public company with its own legal personality, its own assets and autonomy in its management, for the production of electricity through the exclusive use of water.
The formula for the design of this company would involve either starting from scratch or transforming Hunosa, which belongs to SEPI, into this new public energy generation company, which could be opened to public participation by the autonomous communities.
Continuing with the public company, the parliamentary group proposes enabling it to develop and invest in new energy production facilities and to establish companies, as well as to have a majority stake in other companies already established, in order to carry out the activity of energy generation.
The aim of this proposal is to return the benefits to citizens and contribute to the economic and social restoration of the municipalities affected by hydroelectric facilities, in proportion to the generation produced in each territory.
Finally, Sumar urges the Government of which it is a member to prepare a report on the status of existing concessions on the public water domain, which defines and clarifies the different expirations of these, and which analyses compliance with the terms of said concessions. In order to achieve all the objectives included in the non-legislative proposal, the group proposes a reform of the Water Law.
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