Argentina’s Genneia advancing mining transmission line project

Argentine generator Genneia said officials have been working on a transmission line project designed to carry clean energy to metals mines.

Genneia, the country’s biggest renewables player by installed capacity, said last year that a project was on the drawing board.

CFO Carlos Palazón told investors during the company's 4Q24 results call: “We have been working in the last few quarters with several offtakers that are looking for a solution for their energy supply and we have been developing this with the support of some development banks.”

The project is still “at the very early stages,” added Palazón, who said the company had a portfolio of offtakers and would make further announcements. 

ALSO READ: Argentina’s energy metals sector: A potentially rich seam for renewables to mine

Fellow generators YPF Luz and Central Puerto have a similar project, supported by multilateral IFC, which is in the development phase.

A challenge for lithium and copper miners that are concerned about the carbon content associated with their future output is securing supply of low-emission electricity. This is no simple task due to the altitude and remote locations of some mining projects, combined with demand for steady supply.

During the call, Genneia also cited opportunities to provide competitive clean power as Argentina gradually removes end-user subsidies that mask the real cost of generation.

The mining sector was also mentioned and energy storage was listed as a potential opportunity. The country has a 500MW storage tender underway, geared to bolstering the grid in Buenos Aires province, and several other players have already said they were considering participating in the process. 

Overall, renewables have great potential in the country, said Palazón, adding that expanding transmission capacity and easing access to long-term financing were key enabling factors. 

Genneia is the first independent power producer to reach the milestone of 1GW of non-conventional renewables capacity in Argentina.

its total installed capacity stands at 1.5GW, with solar accounting for 310MW, wind 946MW and thermal plants 363MW.

Argentina appears unlikely to achieve the goal set for end-2025, established in law, of obtaining 20% of electricity from non-conventional renewables. Today, around 16% of electricity comes from wind and solar parks, biomass plants and hydroelectric power stations of 50MW capacity or under. 

Market jitters that started in the first half of 2018 threw the country into an economic tailspin, impacting access to credit and clouding the outlook.

Capex guidance, construction-phase projects

Genneia issued development capex guidance of US$275mn for this year.

In 2024, US$207mn was deployed for property, plant and equipment acquisitions.

Today, the company has two solar PV projects in the construction phase in Mendoza province: the US$160mn, 180MW Anchoris facility, due online by year-end, and the US$150mn, 150MW San Rafael plant, expected to start operations around mid-2026.    

The company’s first solar park in Mendoza, the 90MW Malargüe I facility (formerly Los Molles), is already in operation. 

Solar resources and availability of transmission capacity make the province attractive, investors were told.

The projects are designed to supply electricity under corporate power-purchase agreements via the Mater term market. 

They have secured transmission priority dispatch capacity. 

Other projects

Information from wholesale power market administrator Cammesa indicates that Genneia has multiple projects in the development phase.

Genneia is one of the companies participating in Cammesa’s latest transmission priority dispatch auction, corresponding to 4Q24.

Priority dispatch capacity is sought by renewables projects seeking to participate in Mater.

Genneia put forward two solar projects: the 120MW San Juan Sur park in San Juan province and the 100MW Agua del Toro – San Rafael Etapa III park in Mendoza province. 

The company also submitted the 36MW wind park Villalonga III in Buenos Aires province. Villalonga I (52MW) and Villalonga II (3MW) are in operation.

In the previous round, Genneia was awarded 14.2MW of priority dispatch capacity for San Juan Sur. Genneia was also awarded 345MW of priority dispatch capacity, with 150MW corresponding to Mendoza solar PV project Mendoza Sur, under a mechanism where companies can carry out grid expansion work. 

In the 2Q24 round, Genneia accounted for around a third of transmission priority dispatch capacity awarded. Genneia secured 340MW, spread across four solar and two wind projects.  

ALSO READ: Argentine renewables heavyweight wins big in priority dispatch auction

Genneia has also been awarded priority dispatch capacity for San Rafael II (Mendoza province, 50MW installed solar capacity), Retamito (San Juan province, 120MW installed solar capacity), Hucalito I (La Pampa province, 105MW installed wind capacity) and Hucalito II (La Pampa province, 72MW installed wind capacity plus associated grid work).