Argentina announces private investment plan to end electricity blackouts

Argentina's government has unveiled a plan to expand the national electricity transmission network, featuring 16 infrastructure projects funded by private capital. The initiative aims to resolve the recurring power outages that plague the country, particularly during the summer months in the densely populated Buenos Aires metropolitan area.

Presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier stated that this marks the first time in two decades that the private sector will undertake significant energy infrastructure work in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA). The goal is to expand electrical transport networks and provide a lasting solution to the problem of blackouts. The first tender will be for the AMBA I project, which will attract an estimated $800 million in private investment, with an initial contribution of approximately $100 million from the state-owned Compañía Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Eléctrico (CAMMESA) to facilitate the start of construction.

The AMBA I project involves constructing a 270-kilometer, 500 kV power line and a transformer station in Plomer, Buenos Aires province. This will reinforce the electrical system for the capital and its surrounding areas, which account for about 40% of the national demand. The government asserts that this expansion will reduce restrictions, enhance supply security, and accommodate growing demand and electricity generation. The nationwide program also includes projects in 15 other provinces, aiming to add over 5,600 kilometers of new transmission lines, a 38% increase to the current network's length.