Mendoza Energy and Environment Minister Jimena Latorre sat down with Shale24 Director Julián Guarino at the Mendoza Energy Summit 2026 to discuss the province’s new hydrocarbons bill, investment strategy, growing oil and gas activity, renewable energy expansion and the infrastructure needed to support Mendoza’s next stage of development.
Mendoza Energy and Environment Minister Jimena Latorre took part in a public interview with Shale24 Director Julián Guarino at the Mendoza Energy Summit 2026, following opening remarks by Governor Alfredo Cornejo. Held at the Hilton Mendoza, the event brought together government officials and senior executives from some of Argentina’s leading energy and mining companies.
During the session, titled “Mendoza, an Energy and Mining Province: Investment Strategy and Management Agenda,” Latorre discussed the changes reshaping Mendoza’s economy and the provincial government’s efforts to create a competitive, predictable environment for private investment.
“Investors know they are always welcome in Mendoza. Private investment is welcome in the province, with clear rules, clear conditions and legal certainty,” she said.
Latorre pointed to institutional stability and cooperation between the public and private sectors as important parts of Mendoza’s investment strategy. The province has added about 800 MW of solar generation capacity, brought oil and gas exploration back into focus and introduced a new hydrocarbons bill aimed at modernizing the current regulatory framework, attracting new investment, sustaining and increasing production, and supporting new projects.
Updating the Rules for a Changing Oil and Gas Industry
One of the main topics of the interview was the new hydrocarbons bill submitted by the Executive Branch to the Legislature. The proposal would replace legislation in place since 2006 and update Mendoza’s regulatory framework to reflect the technological, operational and regulatory changes that have reshaped the industry over the past two decades.
Latorre said changes to Argentina’s national energy framework under the Bases Law have also changed some of the principles that guide investment and production decisions.
“The focus shifted away from self-sufficiency and energy sovereignty toward maximizing production and maximizing revenue. That changes the entire regulatory framework and the logic behind investment decisions, which means the province also needs to update its legislation and align it with those objectives,” she said.
The proposed legislation is designed to give Mendoza additional tools to attract investment and new projects, increase output from mature fields and support unconventional development in Mendoza’s portion of Vaca Muerta.
It would also introduce greater flexibility in setting royalties and investment commitments, explicitly address unconventional oil and gas development, provide incentives for mature fields and enhanced recovery projects, update environmental requirements and strengthen oversight and enforcement.
Latorre said the province wants investment commitments to translate into actual exploration and development work in the field.
“The focus is on investment. We would rather see companies put that capital into the field—to develop these resources, prove reserves and expand our production capacity through increased exploration,” she said.
That strategy could also increase provincial revenue. More exploration and investment can lead to higher production, which in turn expands the production base on which royalties are collected.
More Operators and a New Oil and Gas Landscape
Latorre also discussed how Mendoza’s oil and gas sector is changing as new operators enter the province. She linked that shift both to bidding rounds conducted by the provincial government and to the restructuring of conventional assets under Plan Andes.
“The landscape has changed, and I think ownership is now more diversified. That creates a very interesting new dynamic for Mendoza,” she said.
Over the past two years, Mendoza has held two bidding rounds that resulted in the award of nine new areas, including exploration permits and production concessions.
“We are convinced that more exploration will lead to more production. Expanding those frontiers can generate more exploration. If there is more investment in new operations, there will be more production,” Latorre said.
Infrastructure, however, remains an important constraint on future growth. Latorre said Mendoza will need to make better use of existing capacity while developing new infrastructure to move the additional oil and gas production expected from operators.
Solar Capacity Expands Across Mendoza
Renewable energy was another major part of the discussion. Latorre said Mendoza has added approximately 800 MW of installed solar capacity, while projects now under development could bring the province to roughly 1 GW of installed solar capacity by 2030.
She said private projects have been able to move forward because Mendoza worked in advance to provide grid connection points and the infrastructure required to bring new generation online.
Latorre cited developments by Genneia and YPF Luz, including the El Quemado solar project in Jocolí, along with other photovoltaic projects currently at different stages of development.
“The key is that these investments can move forward when the connection points are available,” she said.
Mendoza is therefore investing in transmission infrastructure to make the power grid more reliable and resilient, accommodate additional generation and meet growing electricity demand from industry and mining.
Mining Growth Will Require More Energy Infrastructure
Latorre also addressed the increasingly close relationship between mining development and Mendoza’s energy system. Large copper projects will require both additional power generation and transmission capacity to provide the reliable, continuous electricity supply needed for mining operations.
At the same time, the global energy transition is increasing demand for the minerals used in electrification, energy storage and new power-generation technologies, particularly copper.
Latorre reviewed the progress of exploration in the Malargüe Western Mining District, highlighting the arrival of new companies and partnerships between international investors and local businesses.
She also discussed PSJ Cobre Mendocino and the infrastructure that will be needed as mining projects move forward in Mendoza’s Andean region.