Argentine renewables heavyweight wins big in priority dispatch auction

Argentina’s biggest renewables player by installed capacity, Genneia, accounted for around a third of transmission priority dispatch capacity awarded in a process corresponding to 2Q24.

Genneia, which recently said it was constantly on the lookout for business opportunities, secured 340MW, spread across four solar and two wind projects.  

Among them is 150MW Mendoza province solar PV project San Rafael, which was recently authorized to participate in the wholesale power market, connecting to the grid via a 33kV link in the jurisdiction of transmission company Distrocuyo. 

Genneia is currently building another capacity-winner, 90MW Mendoza solar park Los Molles. 

Around 20 projects were not awarded capacity. This follows a tie-break round that had to be held given grid congestion.

Priority dispatch capacity is sought by renewables projects seeking to participate in the Mater term market, where the likes of renewables generators sell output to offtakers such as manufacturers. 

Overall, wholesale power market administrator Cammesa awarded 116MW of standard priority dispatch capacity, known as Mater Pleno, and 573MW under Mater Reference A, introduced via a 2023 rule change. Under Reference A, Cammesa can award priority dispatch on congested transmission corridors to Mater projects, on the understanding that some associated output may be curtailed (8% probability of curtailment). 

Cammesa also awarded 300MW of Reference A capacity under another 2023 rule change, where developers can apply for capacity associated with future new demand for clean power that, in turn, would impact assignable capacity on the grid. Generator-offtaker documentation must be presented to Cammesa as part of the process. Parque Eólicos Energía Pura was the winner, with 108MW corresponding to 147MW Río Negro wind project Energía Pura. Capacity of 192MW was also reserved for other projects. 

Meanwhile, Parque Eólicos Energía Pura was also authorized, to expand transmission capacity for projects, to replace the 132/500kV transformers at transformer station Choele Choel. The 2023 rule change opened the door for parties to finance and carry out grid-expansion work in the context of grid congestion that has hampered renewables development.

The projects that were originally presented in the 2Q24 auction totaled 48 for a combined 3.56GW of installed project capacity once commissioned.

PRIORITY DISPATCH CAPACITY WINNERS

Tech: Solar
Project: Los Molles
Company: Genneia
Project capacity: 89.6MW
Province: Mendoza
Corridor: Cuyo
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 15MW (Ref A)

Tech: Solar
Project: San Rafael I
Company: Genneia
Project capacity: 150MW
Province: Mendoza
Corridor: Cuyo
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 50MW (Ref A)

Tech: Solar
Project: San Rafael II
Company: Genneia
Project capacity: 50MW
Province: Mendoza
Corridor: Cuyo
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 50MW (Ref A)

Tech: Solar
Project: San Juan Sur
Company: Genneia
Project capacity: 90MW
Province: San Juan
Corridor: Cuyo
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 85MW (Ref A)

Tech: Wind
Project: Boreas del Norte
Company: Parques Eólicos Boreas del Norte
Project capacity: 92.4MW
Province: San Luis
Corridor: Center
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 92.4MW (Ref A)

Tech: Wind
Project: Hucalito I
Company: Genneia
Project capacity: 105MW
Province: La Pampa
Corridor: Comahue
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 90MW (Ref A)

Tech: Wind
Project: Casa YPF Luz
Company: YPF Luz
Project capacity: 31MW
Province: Buenos Aires
Corredor: PBA Center-South
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 31MW (Ref A)

Tech: Wind
Project: Energética I – Fase III
Company: Energética Argentina
Project capacity: 49.5MW
Province: Buenos Aires
Corridor: PBA Center-South
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 20MW (Ref A)

Tech: Wind
Project: Vidal
Company: Genneia
Project capacity: 101MW
Province: Buenos Aires
Corridor: Atlantica coast
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 50MW (Ref A)

Tech: Solar
Project: San Carlos Norte
Company: Solar Calingasta
Project capacity: 116MW
Province: Santa Fe
Corridor: Litoral
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 116MW (Ref A)

Tech: Solar
Project: MSU Chos Malal
Company: MSU Green Energy
Project capacity: 100MW
Province: Neuquén
Corridor: Comahue
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 90MW (Ref A)

Tech: Wind
Project: Energía Pura
Company: Parques Eólicos Energía Pura
Project capacity: 147MW
Province: Río Negro
Corridor: Comahue
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 108MW (Ref A, with grid work)

Tech: Not presented
Project: Reserved for projects
Company:  Parques Eólicos Energía Pura
Project capacity: 147MW
Province: Río Negro
Corridor: Comahue
Priority dispatch capacity awarded: 192MW (Ref A, with grid work)