Team size: Seven

What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

Last year we faced major challenges at Kallpa. The conversion of the Las Flores power plant into a 325 MW combined cycle gas-fired power plant was completed in 2022. It was implemented during the covid pandemic, with huge constraints, and involved challenging legal and contractual issues. We worked very closely with the development and operations teams to ensure the project was executed on time and on budget. In addition, our shareholders decided to divest two of the four operating companies, that were managed by the Kallpa team, in Peru. As the legal team, we were responsible for the proper transfer of roles and responsibilities and for preparing the new team to manage the legal and regulatory affairs in these companies.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

Besides the obvious improvements that technological advancements bring to legal activities, in relation to the automation of contract drafting and management and the monitoring of court proceedings, I see the introduction of big data analytics and AI into the legal work of in-house counsel as a real game changer. These tools will provide crucial information to predict behaviours and decisions of authorities and judges and improve the way we define legal strategies. Also, the use of blockchain and smart contracts will improve contract execution.

What is a cause, business related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?

Working in the energy sector, one of the most relevant and constant issues in which we are involved is the energy transition, which seeks to change the current energy supply and consumption towards cleaner, more sustainable, and efficient energy solutions and consumption. This is undoubtedly a global effort and in Peru, and specifically in the energy sector, we have our specific goals and challenges. Fortunately, the current Peruvian electricity generation matrix has low level of emissions and the growth in demand will be supplied mainly by new renewable power plants (solar and wind), which in conjunction with the existing hydro and natural gas generation will allow us to continue to have a clean energy matrix, maintaining the reliability and security of supply.

In this process there will be relevant regulatory challenges to reflect changes in the structure of the market and in the way different agents participate in the market.

Undoubtedly, this is not an effort that should be faced only by the electricity sector, all economic activities should be involved in it. In fact, considering Peru’s specific challenges towards the energy transition, there are other economic sectors that require more urgent action, transport as an example, and electricity will play a crucial role in it.