In a new privatization push, the government of Javier Milei has begun the sale of Energía Argentina SA (Enarsa), the main state-owned company in the energy sector . The announcement comes just one day after the dismantling of the Belgrano Cargas state-owned railway.

Through Resolution 1050/2025, published this Friday, July 25, in the Official Gazette, the Ministry of Economy formalized the beginning of the privatization process with the sale of 100 percent of Enarsa’s shares in Citelec SA (the company that controls Transener), which is responsible for transmitting electricity throughout the country.

Transener operates more than 12,000 kilometers of high-voltage power lines, connecting generating plants with electricity distribution centers. The Argentine State, through Enarsa, controls 52.65 percent of this key infrastructure.

The plan calls for a national and international public tender to complete the sale within a maximum period of eight months . The Agency for the Transformation of Public Enterprises was designated to coordinate the transaction, and a public banking institution will be responsible for appraising the shareholding.

The privatization of Enarsa was authorized by the Basic Law, approved in 2024, which included this and other state-owned companies as “subject to privatization.” According to the government, the goal is to reduce public spending and open the way for private capital in sectors considered strategic . “For years, ENARSA required multimillion-dollar transfers from the Treasury without achieving efficiency or quality of service,” the Ministry of Energy explained.

Enarsa was created by law in 2004, during the presidency of Néstor Kirchner , as a key tool for state intervention in the energy sector. Its portfolio includes key projects: the Perito Moreno Gas Pipeline (formerly Néstor Kirchner), the Santa Cruz dams, the Northeast Argentine Gas Pipeline (GNEA), 50 percent of the Escobar liquefied natural gas terminal (shared with YPF), and the majority stake in the Manuel Belgrano and José de San Martín thermal power plants.

This announcement is only the first step in a broader plan aimed at the complete disintegration of Enarsa, separating its business units to facilitate their sale in parts. While the government promises continuity of works and services, various voices warn of the loss of energy sovereignty and public control of critical infrastructure.