What are the missing works and what alternatives the government handles

Two blackouts that the users of Edesur suffered in the city of Buenos Aires and the conurbano have causes that are still investigated, but left the reminder – for the same time – that Argentina’s electrical system has a structural fragility.

To reverse it, need Millionaire investments in distribution, transport and energy generation that they have been delayed in recent months.

In distribution, Edenor and Edesur will allocate at least about 2,150 million dollars in the next 5 years; US $ 1,275 million will be from the distributor owned by José Luis Manzano, Daniel Vila and Mauricio Filibertiwhile other US $ 875 million will be the company that manages the multinational Enelwhich is from the state of Italia.

These investment plans will formally begin when the Tariff Quinquenal (RQT) review culminates and the concession contracts are normalized, which is expected to occur as of April 1. The formula is: Increase in rates in exchange for investments and a path of improvement in public service qualitywith less duration and frequency of light cuts.

But where weakness is less noticeable and investment is not so clear that it will happen is in the segment of transmission Electric The tender call for the works system “AMBA I“, for about US $ 1,150 million, it was ready at the end of last year, but it was not yet published.

Once those works have been done, that They will take between 3 and 4 yearsthe AMBA can “import” 1,350 megawatts (MW) of power of other regions, such as the wind farms of Patagonia and the south of Buenos Aires and the thermal and hydroelectric plants of the coast.

This will reinforce the city’s ring and Greater Buenos Aires (GBA), but the entire Argentine interconnection system (SADI) will also be provided with greater reliability; that is to say, The works will not only have a positive impact on Buenos Aires, but will help lower costs and improve networks throughout the country.

But, as he said Clarion In December, there was a interna in the Government on the mode of financing of the works.

While the Minister of Economy team, Luis Caputo -That the coordinating secretary of Energy and Mining, Daniel Gonzalezand the Secretary of Energy, María Tettamanti, I was looking for users to prefer the tasks with the collection of a “stamped” in their invoices, between 2 to 3 dollars per monththe presidential advisor Santiago Caputo -What has in the executive vice president of the administrative company of the electric wholesale market (cammesa), Mario Cairellato his man in the sector- he defined that lThe works will be paid in the rates but after being in operationwhereby the contractor must seek own financing.

It is worth remembering that the previous government announced in 2021 that it had a commercial agreement with China, through State Grid. The financial contract would have had a Interest rate of 3.75% per year and a 10 -year repayment period. But he never advanced. Kirchnerism responsible for former secretary Gustavo Beliz, who would have locked all China’s projects in the country, at the request of the United States.

The AMBA I system foresees, among other tasks, the construction of a transforming station (ET) in Plomer, General Rodríguez, and an extra high voltage line of 357 kilometers in 500 kilovolts (KV) between Plomer and Vivorathá.

Meanwhile, in electricity generation the government suspended in July last year a tender that was already awarded, the “TerConf“, which was going to add 3,340 MW after investments for US $ 3,000 million.

The Ministry of Energy wants a new regulatory framework to run to the state of the contracts and that it is the private ones that trade energy between them. But for that reason The implementation of tenders has been delayed to expand the generation park (supply) that helps meet a growing demand in the coming years. The works would not be ready in less than 24 months, so the next two summers will be critical.

To address this emergency situation, a tender for energy storage in lithium batteries for about 500 MW was launched, which will be used to cover the peak demand – about 4 hours – in the AMBA in 12 to 18 months. The gas generation of the thermal plants can be stored there and replace imports of diesel and fuel oil, which are more expensive.

Also, Cammesa is moving in a prefeasibility study to import about 1,000 MW of electricity through the ships of the Turkish company Karpowershipand insists on signing a Import contract with Brazil in “firm” mode, not interruptible As is happening so far, which leaves the system at the mercy of the energy situation of the neighboring country. It is a more expensive, but more reliable alternative.