The place that brought together the Government, YPF and Pampa Energía was the Ensenada Barragán Thermal Power Plant, located in the Buenos Aires town of Ensenada. This Monday they held an act on the occasion of the expansion of the plant. With an investment of US$250 million and after three years of work, YPF and Pampa Energía inaugurated the combined cycle, which allows the plant to reach a capacity of 847 MW, equivalent to the consumption of 1.5 million homes.
Thus, the plant becomes one of the 4 largest, since it increases generation capacity by 50%, adding 280 MW to the 567 MW it had. In addition, they highlighted the efficiency and sustainability, because it generates the same amount of electricity with the same gas consumption (1.8 million m3), which is equivalent to an annual saving of $350 millionthey stated.
energy agenda
President, Alberto Fernandezaffirmed that the great problem that the world has is the “lack of energy”, in fact, Argentina in 2022 had a historical deficit of US$5 billion. Fernández revealed that the world looks to Argentina for its resources: “I went around the world telling what we had to offer and today the energy agenda is the reason for every talk I have with any leader in the world.”
In fact, the government’s urgent agenda is to finish the first section of the gas pipeline by June, and then call for bids to make the second section, reach Santa Fe and be able to export gas to Brazil. As a joke, Fernández slipped a new date for the completion of the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline: “We are going to finish it on June 20 or July 9, right?”she stated and looked at Mindlin, who was at her side.
The President reported that gas production was multiplied by 3 due to Vaca Muerta and anticipated that they are studying whether there is a “Vaca Muerta” in the north of Santa Cruz. On the other hand, he gave central importance to energy development: he assured that the historic generation of the eighties “thought of Argentina as the granary of the world, which generates a development system with a rich center and two peripheries to the north and south.” But with mining in the north and fuels in the south there will be new opportunities.
Along the same lines, the Secretary of Energy, Flavia Royon, affirmed: “Argentina is turning the page in energy matters, after self-sufficiency what we have left is exports. It is the energy sector that can turn the balance around and make it a surplus”. Royón reported that in Economy “everyone is very aware” of the gas pipeline, and that they are also working to obtain financing for the Transport plan, to expand more electricity transmission line.
ECO_6025.JPG
Pablo Gonzalez, president of YPF, reported on the agenda of the state majority company. After the completion of the work at the Ensenada Barragán thermal power plant, he informed that between March and April they will reopen the pipeline to export oil from Vaca Muerta to Bio Bio, in Chile, after 16 years. Also in March, he stated that they are going to inaugurate the first solar park of YPF Luz, after an investment of $300 million, which together with another solar energy project will reach US$500 million. “YPF is going to position itself as a large producer of renewable energy in Argentina,” he stated.
Another of the plans for 2023 is the readjustment of the YPF refinery in Ensenada, with an investment of $500 million, and advance with the oil pipeline called “Vaca Muerta Sur”, which will allow the export of 360 thousand barrels. In any case, the great project of the oil company, which González assured that “It will change the Argentine energy paradigm” is the progress of the LNG plant, between YPF and Petronas, which will allow exporting US$20 billion, the equivalent of 460 ships.
Gas pipeline and LNG
After the event, Marcelo Mindlin, owner of Pampa Energía, spoke with journalists at the plant. The businessman revealed that the landing of LNG is also imminent: “The decision to launch the investment will be in March.” Pampa Energía owns a part of TGS, which is discussing with Excelerate the construction of a gas liquefaction plant in Bahía Blanca for export.
Ambit He consulted how next month will affect the investment decision if the LNG law that should be approved by Congress, currently paralyzed, does not come out. “The entire sector hopes that a law will come out that will give a framework to investments so large that they are for 30 years. We hope that it will be sent to Congress and approved with all the support, it is essentialbecause being a new activity, it is not very difficult”.
Asked about the completion date of the gas pipeline, which is being carried out by the construction company Sacde, also from Mindlin, the businessman assured that it will be a “huge challenge” reach June 20. He explained that it is a 2-year work that is done in 10 months. “We brought technology and we are making a maximum effort to arrive, we are optimistic that we will meet the deadline, but it is the first gas pipeline in 40 years. If you arrive in July instead of June, it doesn’t change history, the important thing is that it will help develop Vaca Muerta for the next 40 years.”
Regarding Pampa Energía’s upcoming projects, Mindlin reported that this year they will triple gas production in Vaca Muerta, they are going to inaugurate the fourth wind farm and are already planning the fifth, and they are investing to be able to participate in the bidding for the second section of the pipeline.
Source: Ambito
