Because of a technicality, ICE is losing its ability to buy cheap electricity from private generators, since the concessions for water usage are about to expire. If the permits are not renewed the companies will not be able be able to use their equipment to generate electricity. The companies are prepared to lower the rates they charge ICE, since the equipment is now paid for.

The ICE president Pablo Cob, asked legislators to approve an extension urgently, since if this energy is not available ICE will have to use expensive (and contaminating ) diesel generators. 4 plants who provided a total of 2 Mega Watts to the national system have already stopped producing because the concession expired. The entire country produced 1,961 MW in 2005.

These water concessions are victims of a legal void created by the Legislative Assembly, when they transformed the SNE (National Electrical Service) into the ARESEP (Tariff Governing Board) they took away the right to give water concessions from SNE and did not give it to any other agency.