Paraguay's Peña hopes VP Alliana will inaugurate Aña Cua power project

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña visited the Aña Cua construction site, an expansion of the Yacyretá Hydroelectric Power Plant, expressing his desire for Vice President Pedro Alliana to inaugurate the project should he be elected president. Peña, accompanied by Alliana and other officials, inspected the progress of the work, which involves adding three new generating units to the plant.

Peña recalled that upon taking office in August 2023, he found the project stalled with issues inherited from the previous administration. He emphasized his focus on unblocking the project, praising the Paraguayan director of the binational entity for his leadership. The president also mentioned discussions with Argentine President Javier Milei regarding Yacyretá's affairs, particularly its financial situation.

The Aña Cua project is currently 40.7% complete, with the first generating unit expected to become operational in December 2028. Peña acknowledged that energy generation would not occur during his term but expressed a strong desire to return and support Alliana, his successor, at the inauguration.

Addressing the perception of unlimited resources at Yacyretá, Peña clarified that the entity operates with limited funds, necessitating difficult decisions to prioritize investments. He noted that staff reductions have only occurred during his current administration and that of Horacio Cortés, contrasting this with previous governments where staff numbers increased.