January 12^th 2021

Today the Official Gazette published the new law, known as “Ley Lucas”, amends General Law of Electrical Services and establishes uninterrupted power supply for electricity-dependent persons.

The new law establishes that enterprises concessionaires of public service of electrical distribution must keep a register of electricity-dependent persons living in their respective concession area and the breach of  such obligation will be considered as a very serious infringement that shall be penalised in accordance with the Superintendency of Electricity and Fuel rules.

´Furthermore, the new law provides that the  concessionaires should implement in an effective and timely manner, the best technical solutions available in order to mitigate the consequences that the power supply disruptions may have  over the functioning of healthcare equipment  to which an electricity-dependent person is connected, for the extent of the failure, considering the conditions of the environment and the extent of the interruption, among others mentioned in the regulations.  To fulfill the obligations before mentioned the concessionaires should implement the temporary or permanent delivery, under a commodatum agreement, of the necessary equipment which permits providing power to the device of the corresponding medical equipment.

Finally, this new law will become effective once the respective regulation is issued, which needs to be implemented in six months since the publication in the Official Gazette.