EOI request for renewable energy and storage infrastructure projects

On May 9th, 2022, Resolution 330/2022 (“Resolution 330”) was published in the Official Gazette. This resolution launched an EOI request for development of certain energy projects which include renewables and, for the first-time at the utility scale level, storage.

1. Context and importance

The goal stated by Resolution 330 is to contribute to improve sustainability and reliability in the electricity sector within the Paris Agreement and local renewable portfolio standards which further implies:

  1. A ratification of the commitment by the Republic of Argentina towards fighting climate change and the promoting renewables.
  2. The first-time that storage is considered as a technology solution at the utility scale level. While preliminary and too early in the process this has game-changing potential.

2. EOI scope

The EOI includes two main types of projects:

  1. Renewables
  2. Battery installation and/or other storage systems in renewable power plants and/or at transmission interconnection points or distribution networks that improve operational management and reduce forced generation.

The EOI does not require an interested party to be an existing player in the Argentine power market to submit a proposal.

3. Formalities

The EOI presentation must be filed digitally by June 30th, 2022. The presentation must be sent to an email to be timely informed by CAMMESA (the Argentinean ISO).

Also, the EOI must include the following information:

  1. Address, telephone, email, and contact person.
  2. Brief description of the interested party. Background in similar projects if any.
  3. Description of the preliminary project, including technology, capacity, location, interconnection point, biomass fuel (if applicable) and any other relevant information.
  4. Indicative cost and compensation.

 

For further information, please contact either Nicolás Eliaschev, Tomás Villaflor or Luciana Tapia Rattaro.

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COVID-19: Extension of the Limitations to the Interruption of Telecommunication Services

On May 1st and 4th, 2020, Decree No. 426/2020 (the “Decree”) and Resolution No. 367/2020 (the “Resolution”), respectively, were published in the Official Gazette. Both rules further supplement Decree No. 311/2020, which bans providers from ceasing to supply services  comprising fixed or mobile telephony, Internet and cable television to certain users (listed therein), in case of delay or lack of payments up to three (3) consecutive or alternate bills with due dates as from March 1st, 2020.

Below is a summary of the regulations’ most relevant aspects.

1. Decree No. 426/2020

The Decree extends until May 31st, 2020, the obligation placed upon the providers of telecommunication services to offer limited services capable of guaranteeing  connectivity to users who fail to pay top-up fees to access consumption, and the resulting impossibility to shut-off the service due to such cause.

2. Resolution No. 367/2020

The Resolution has been issued by the National Communications Agency (“ENACOM”, for its Spanish acronym), with the purpose of supplementing certain provisions included in Decree No. 311/2020 and Resolution No. 173/2020, issued by the Ministry of Productive Development, with regards to telecommunication services’ providers.

The Resolution imposes the following additional obligations over those companies:

  1. The obligation to provide, within a maximum term of three (3) days, the following data: 1) List of all users whose service is registered prior to March 26th, 2020, that may be subject to shut-off caused by lack of payment, or keep ongoing shut-off notices; and whose invoices were due as of March 1st, 2020; and 2) List of all the users with pre-paid services who have required a top-up on February and/or March, 2020. This information has to be entered as a Sworn Affidavit in accordance with Appendix No. 1 of the Resolution, available at the following link.
  2. The prohibition to suspend or shut-off services due to lack of payment from users not included in the lists prepared by the Coordination Unit created via Resolution No. 173/2020.
  3. The obligation to report to the ENACOM within the first (15) days as of the Resolution, all prices established for the limited services comprised by article 1 of Decree No. 311/2020 and the terms and conditions and/or forms of the financial facilities offered to users and their information process. Those financial facilities should at least prescribe the possibility for the service to be paid in three (3) monthly installments, to which no interest will accrue, nor penalty will be applicable.
  4. The obligation to publicly disclose these regulatory provisions not only through providers’ web pages, but also via the social networks used and/or advertisement.

Failure to comply with these will result in penalties being imposed under Law No. 26,522 and 27,078, as applicable.

For further information, please contact Nicolás Eliaschev and/or Javier Constanzó.

In the following link, you can access the Firm’s statement on COVID-19.

For information concerning COVID-19 legal implications, please refer here.

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Renewables and Distributed Generation: Between Promises and Reality During COVID-19 Times

As the worldwide oil prices volatility show, the energy industry has not been left unaffected by the global crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

During these hard times, it is worthwhile to wonder about the present and the future of the Argentinian electricity sector and the potential to turn the crisis into an opportunity.

In the attached report, we argue that price volatility of energy commodities and the current and future presence of health and environmental disruptive threats, advice to keep betting for diversification of the electricity mix as the best path to ensure security and continuity for long-term power supply.

Under this context, the report summarizes the main aspects of laws and regulations targeting renewable distributed generation which have shown strong consensus in the country as we further claim that fostering renewable distributed generation such as our current policy does, seems convenient under existing circumstances.

The report also includes preliminary remarks regarding the following issues:

1. Short-term relevant needs of the electricity sector

  1. Preservation of payment cash flow and short and mid-term economic and financial sustainability of all industry players.
  2. Termination of emergency under Law 27,741 during the legal period provided thereof and operation of the electricity sector under the rules of Law 24,065.
  1. Short-term focus for renewables
  1. Possibility of extending commercial operation dates and intermediate milestones in power purchase agreements corresponding to projects under structuring and/or advanced construction affected by the health crisis and measures adopted consequently either in Argentina or abroad.
  2. Assessing on a-case-to-case basis opt-outs and/or voluntary renegotiation of power purchase agreements for projects with no activity prior to March 12, 2020 (date under which the health crisis was declared), using uniform and non-discriminatory approaches.
  1. Long-term decisions
  1. Definition of transmission infrastructure expansion structure and planning for deployment for additional capacity of renewables for complying with the goal of 20% of consumption for 2025.
  2. Technical and financial evaluation of expanding such consumption target beyond 2025.
  3. Continuity of the electricity mix diversification, evaluating the role of efficient thermal, nuclear and hydropower technologies.
  4. Assessment of new technologies to strengthen the system and supplement the development of Distributed Generation, including power storage, smart metering, demand management and electric mobility.
  5. Assessment of opportunities to boost regional integration and cooperation for spot and long-term exchanges of natural gas destined to power generation and, power itself, with nearby countries.

Download Report

In the following link, you can access the Firm’s statement on COVID-19.

For information concerning COVID-19 legal implications, please refer here.

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Public Tender for the Construction of the Gas Del Centro Natural Gas Transportation System

By means of Resolution No. 437/19 (the “Resolution”), the Secretary of Government of Energy (the “SGE”) has called for a public bidding procedure for purposes of awarding a new natural gas transport license (the “License”). This new infrastructure project entails the design and construction of a natural gas pipeline that will: (i) connect a facility located in the Neuquén’s Subzone with another facility located in the city of Salliqueló, Province of Buenos Aires; and (ii) interconnect the Salliqueló’s facility with TGN’s gas transportation system in a spot near the city of San Nicolás, Province of Buenos Aires. This new transportation system has been officially named as Transporte Gas del Centro (the “Project”).

The Resolution also approved the definitive version of the bidding terms and conditions (the “Terms and Conditions”) and its annexes. Finally, the Resolution scheduled the submission of bids date on September 12th, 2019.

Below are the Terms and Conditions’ most important aspects:

(a) Required Works

The Project includes:

(1) Phase 1: construction of 570 km of a 36 inch pipeline with an initial capacity of 15 MMm3/day of natural gas (9.300 kcal/m3) and a future minimum capacity of 40 MMm3/day, which will connect a gas facility located near Tratayén, Neuquén, with a facility located near to the city of Saliquelló, Buenos Aires (“Phase 1”); and

(2) Phase 2: construction of 470 km of a 30 inch pipeline with a minimum capacity of 20 MMm3/day of natural gas (9,300 kcal/m3) which will connect the facility located near city of Saliquello, Buenos Aires with a gas pipeline located near the city of San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Buenos Aires (the “Phase 2”).

(b) Schedule (main milestones and occurrence expected time pursuant to the Terms and Conditions)

Milestone Expected Date
Consultation Period Until August 29th
Publishing by the SGE of circular letters (amendment and clarification) Until September 5th
Bids’ Submission September 12th
Offers’ Opening September 12th
Offers Assessment September 26th
Bids’ Qualification October 3rd
Economic Offer’s Opening October 8th
Award Date October 21st
Execution of the License November 20th

Additionally, the following milestones, regarding the execution of the works, are scheduled (terms shall begin on the License’s execution date):

Milestone Phase 1 Phase 2
Presentation of the final project 2 months 42 months
Financial Close 6 months N/A
Partial Operation 18 months N/A
Commercial Operation 24 months 60 months

(c) Economic Offer: CAMMESA’s Transportation Agreement

Bidders must bid a monthly fee regarding the CAMMESA’s Transportation Agreement (as this term is defined below) for the contracted Phase 1’s transport capacity corresponding to 10 MMm3/day. The bidder proposing the lower amount shall be awarded.

Jointly with the execution of the License, the awardee shall execute the Offer Letter attached as Annex IV of the Terms and Conditions (“CAMMESA’s Transportation Agreement”).

(d) Financing provided by ANSES’ Guarantee

Fund Pursuant to the Terms and Conditions, the awardee is entitled to apply for a financing facility from ANSES’ Guarantee Fund. Main terms of the financing conditions are summarized below:

(1) Validity Term of the Financing Commitment¸ the first one to occur between:

  • Fourteen (14) months since the execution of the Commitment Letter by and between the ANSES and the SGE; or
  • Ten (10) months since the awarding date.

(2) Type of Titles: Securities issued under the Argentine Offer Public Regime.

(3) Maximum Amount: US Dollars four hundred million (USD 400,000,000).

(4) Securities’ Maturity: fourteen (14) years.

(5) Interest Rate: Linked to (i) sovereign yields for similar maturity terms; and (ii) Project’s risk.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact either Nicolás Eliaschev or Javier Constanzó.

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Natural Gas Exports: Regulatory Updates

On July 26, 2019, Resolution No. 417/19 (the “Resolution”), issued by the Secretary of Government of Energy of the Ministry of Treasury has been published in the Official Gazette with important implications regarding natural gas exports. This Resolution approves a new procedure that must be complied with by those interested in exporting natural gas.

The Resolution revokes prior Resolution No. 104/18 issued by the former Ministry of Energy on August 22, 2018.

This Resolution also entrusts the Undersecretary of Hydrocarbons and Fuels to: (i) enact the applicable framework that shall rule mechanisms for energy substitution for natural gas exports on a firm basis - notwithstanding Resolution’s applicability until such mechanisms are enacted-, and (ii) the elaboration and further approval of the mechanisms applicable for natural gas exports which shall apply upon shortage of natural gas in the local market.

The Resolution’s most relevant aspects are outlined below:

  1. Type of authorizations: The Resolution foresees four (4) kinds of authorizations:
  • Firm or uninterruptible: natural gas purchase agreements which contemplate delivery and reception of gas by the contracting parties that are mandatory and cannot be carved-out except for force majeure events;
  • Interruptible: natural gas purchase agreements which do not contain mandatory delivery and/or reception provisions which bind the contracting parties;
  • Operational exchanges: agreements executed for purposes of attending operational requirements (back-up fuel) and/or emergency scenarios and others of similar nature, to the extent the enforcement authority requires the exporting party to reimport equal amounts of natural gas (or equivalent electricity quantities) within twelve (12) months as of the first event of exportation;
  • Assistance agreements: for providing support to neighboring countries under critical situations and/or declared states of emergency. The exporter shall not be required to import equivalent volumes of the exported natural gas nor its equivalent in power. These exports are excluded from the procedure provided in the Resolution.
  1. Simplification of the procedure to request the authorization: The export filing request shall be made digitally through an online remote platform.
  1. Unconventional natural gas: The volume of exported natural gas produced by a project benefited from the Government’s Incentive Program will be offset from the project’s total production, prior to the determination of the project’s Included Production volumes. Former Resolution No. 104/18 provided that exported gas could not be employed within the Government’s Incentive Program approved for unconventional gas.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact either Nicolás Eliaschev or Javier Constanzó.

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Relevant News on the Renewable Energy Sector

On July 11th, 2019, Decree No. 476 (the “Decree”) of the National Executive was published in the Official Gazette, with relevant news regarding the renewable energy regime.

The Decree has partially amended Decree No. 531/2016 (regulating) Laws No. 26,190 and No. 27,191. Most relevant aspects of the Decree are summarized below:

  1. Simplification of the process to obtain the Inclusion Certificate

The Secretary of Government of Energy—in its capacity as enforcement authority of the renewable energy regime—is empowered to: (i) analyze and approve the renewable projects that may apply for the Inclusion Certificate; and (ii) grant, to each of the approved projects, amounts requested as tax benefits, without the prior intervention of the Secretary of Treasury. In addition, the Decree eliminates the Ministry of Treasury’s intervention which is now no longer required.

  1. Execution of Power Purchase Agreements (“PPAs”) with public-owned entities

The Decree entitles CAMMESA (Wholesale Electric Market Management Company) to enter into PPAs with public-owned entities (either national, provincial and/or City of Buenos Aires’ owned). Prior the Decree, such entities were allowed to execute PPAs with CAMMESA insofar they participated in public tender procedures. The Decree now allows them to execute PPAs without participating in those procedures, to the extent that the following requirements are met: (i) the generation facility is owned by such public entities; (ii) those projects are able to access better financing conditions in comparison with the ones that the Federal or Provincial State could access to; and (iii) the investment projects have a relevant impact in local development.

Assignment, transfer or subcontracting of the PPAs are forbidden.

The agreed price under the PPA must be in line with those arising from public tendering called by the Secretary of Government of Energy, which implies that these agreements must be entered on a market condition basis.

As of this measure, public-owned entities are now eligible to enter into PPAs: (i) within the term market (approved by Resolution No. 281/17), and/or (ii) directly with CAMMESA, either directly (based on the Decree) or after being selected as such after a competitive procedure is carried out.

  1. Expectations for the Round 4 of the RenovAr Program

Senior officers of the Secretary of Government of Energy have announced that they are working in the design of the future Round 4 of the RenovAr Program, which is expected to be officially launched on November 2019.

Unlike the other rounds of the RenovAr Program, this new round is believed to require the bidders, in addition to their generation projects, the execution of works for the extension of the transmission capacity of some main lines of the Argentine electricity sector.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact either Nicolás Eliaschev, Javier Constanzó or Juan Pablo Filippini.

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Vaca Muerta: The Contracting Process for the Construction of an Essential Natural Gas Pipeline has Begun

On July 10th, 2019, Decree No. 465 (the “Decree”), issued by President Macri, has been published in the Official Gazette. By means of the Decree, the Secretary of Government of Energy (the “SGE”) has been instructed to call a public national and international tender with the purpose of awarding a new natural gas transport license for a new facility. This new infrastructure project entails the design and construction of a natural gas pipeline that will connect the Neuquén’s Subzone with the cities of Salliqueló and San Nicolás, both located in the province of Buenos Aires.

Pursuant to the Decree, the new transport license shall include a special regime lasting 17 years as from commercial operation date. The main terms of this special regime are summarized below:

  1. The licensee’s remuneration shall be freely negotiated with the users of the gas pipeline;
  2. The licensee’s remuneration shall not impact in the natural gas residential end users’ rates;
  3. The terms and conditions of the tender to be called by the SGE shall provide a partial award of pipeline’s capacity. The remaining capacity shall be assigned through public tenders, in compliance with the applicable regulations.

Finally, the Decree provides that Law No. 24,076 -that rules natural gas’ transportation and distribution-, shall be the project’s legal framework, instead of the Law No. 17,319 -that recognizes the operating concessionaire’s right to transport its hydrocarbons-. However, as long as the special regime remains effective, Law No. 24,076, Title IX, Chapter I provisions to the extent they contradict the Decree, shall not be applicable.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact either Nicolás Eliaschev, Javier Constanzó or Juan Pablo Filippini.

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20 Minute Insight

📺 👉🏼 Our partner Nicolás Eliaschev was interviewed by Jamie Dowswell, Programme Director of AIREC, about the outlook for Argentina's Renewable Energy Sector for this year.

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Regulatory Updates: New Terms and Conditions for Hydrocarbon Transport Concession's Public Tendering

On July 1st, 2019, Resolution No. 357 (the “Resolution”), issued by the Secretary of Government of Energy (the “SGE”), has been published in the Official Gazette, with important implications in regards to public tendering procedures which shall be carried out in order to grant concessions for hydrocarbon’s transportation. Tenders of this nature may rely on project’s submitted by private entities, as further described below.

Pursuant to Annex I of the Resolution, those tenders may comprise:

  1. Concessions for hydrocarbon’s transportation, which have been reverted from the former concessionaire to the pertaining governmental body or entity.
  2. Projects submitted by private entities, which shall contain minimum standards such as a general description of the project’s nature and aspects involved in its execution, land matters, etc.
  3. New hydrocarbon transportation projects required to satisfy demands of the users.

The Resolution also foresees that all public tenders launched by the SGE in order to grant a hydrocarbon transport concession shall contain a bid document containing main terms and conditions of such competitive procedure.

In addition the Resolution further stipulates requires that all projects submitted by any private entity to the relevant governmental authorities must clearly specify land matters-related issues involved in such project.

The Resolution also authorizes foreign corporations (not registered in Argentina’s registries of commerce as of the date on which the Resolution is issued) to submit proposals of this nature for purposes of being evaluated and subject to a public tendering thereafter. However, foreign entities are bound to register before the mentioned registries’, to the extent that their proposal is admitted and prior to the public tender being issued.

Furthermore, the Resolution indicates that the governmental authorities shall provide their ruling regarding project’s feasibility no later than thirty (30) business days from the project being submitted thereof.

Finally, the Resolution requires prior registration of the interested companies before the Hydrocarbon Transport Registry for their participation in the public tenders.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact either Nicolás Eliaschev or Javier Constanzó.

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New works and expansion of existing infrastructure – Neuquén basin gas pipeline and PPP Power transmission

On March 8, 2019, two resolutions issued by the Secretary of Government of Energy (the “SGE”), containing relevant rules in connection with infrastructure works of the electricity and gas industries, were published in the Official Gazette:

(1) Resolution SGE No. 81/2019 (“Resolution 81”), related to the construction and further operation of the 500-kV high-voltage line, the future substations Río Diamante and Charlone, and complementary works, under a public-private partnership structure (“PPP”). By means of this Resolution 81, call for bids set out in 2018 have been relaunched; and

(2) Resolution SGE No. 82/2019 (“Resolution 82”), related to the construction of a new gas pipeline or the significant expansion of existing transport capacity for the transportation of natural gas produced in the Neuquén basin towards the metropolitan area of the province of Buenos Aires.

The most relevant aspects of both resolutions are summarized below:
 

  • Resolution SGE No. 81/2019 – PPP Power transmission works

    Resolution 81 calls for a two-stage national and international tender procedure for the construction and further of the 500-kV high-voltage line, the future substations Río Diamante and Charlone, and complementary works.

    Such works also comprise the electrical interconnection in 500-kV of the future substations Río Diamante, Charlone, and complementary works, as well as operation and maintenance of these facilities.

    The tender’s terms and conditions and its annexes are published on the website of the Undersecretary of Public-Private Partnership, together with the rest of the preliminary tender documents.

    The most important dates to keep in mind are:

    Date and time Activity
    May 10, 2019 Public consultation period due date
    May 27, 2019 Deadline for bids
    June 27, 2019 Publication of the Prequalification Ruling (Dictamen de Evaluación de Precalificación)
    July 2, 2019 Opening of envelope no. 2
    July 10, 2019 Publication of the Economic Offers’ Evaluation Ruling (Dictamen de Evaluación de las Ofertas Económicas)
    July 12, 2019 Resolution awarding PPP Contract
    August 14, 2019 Due date for PPP Contract execution

    •  

  • Resolution SGE No. 82/2019 – Vaca Muerta gas pipeline

    Resolution 82 calls for expressions of interest in connection with: (i) the construction of a new gas pipeline; or (ii) the development of a significant expansion of the current transport capacity.

    Expressions of interests aim to enhance transportation of natural gas produced in the Neuquén basin towards the metropolitan area of the province of Buenos Aires and the littoral area.

    Interested parties in participating in this procedure shall submit their expressions of interest no later than April 8, 2019.

    1. Scope

      With respect to the construction of a new transport system, a public tender procedure for the construction, operation and maintenance of the new infrastructure shall be called on a later stage.

      Capacity expansions of one or all existing transport systems shall be authorized in accordance with section 16 of law No. 24.076. Expansions which generate an additional capacity of 10 MMm3/d shall be considered as “significant expansions”.

      In all scenarios a technical description of the proposed project shall be issued. Such description must include the necessary works, design, nominal transport capacity to be added and construction and launch dates. Moreover, information to evaluate the potential demand associated to the project shall be issued.

    2. Rate structure

      Interest parties may propose a rate scheme applicable for the new facilities.

      For expansions, criteria set forth in Resolution No. 1483 issued by the Ente Nacional Regulador del Gas (ENARGAS) shall be applicable (incremental cost criteria).

    3. Access to the facilities by third parties

      Open access and no third-party discrimination shall be applicable. Moreover, long-term agreements with parties acting as gas traders may be executed, in the event that the proposed rate scheme requires so.

 
Desde TRSyM, estamos siguiendo este proceso con mucha atención y estamos a disposición para ampliar cualquiera de los puntos aquí tratados.

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