Paraguay roundup: Power grid calls, legislation, smart meters

Eight groups submitted offers to Paraguay’s state power company Ande for phase two of a project to strengthen dispatch in capital Asunción’s metropolitan system.

The participants are consortiums: 

• METRO III (Ingeniería de Topografía y Caminos-14 de Julio-Tecno Plus Ingeniería)
• M.I.S.S. (M. R Ingeniería de Manuel Luis Román Solís-Ingelco-Santa Isabel de Norma Girett-Servicios Eléctricos y Metalúrgicos)
• ETTA II (Empresa Paraguaya de Electrificación-Tecno Electric-Taller Industrial del Este-ABS Montajes)
• San Antonio II (Compañía de Construcciones Civiles-Empresa de Servicios Electromecánicos)
• TMT-Proel Fase 2 (Tecmont-Proel Ingeniería del Ing. Agusto Ortellado Narváez)
• Alianza (DC Ingeniería-BHM Ingeniería-Proyectos y Montajes-CONO-Icisa)
• Artigas II (Compañía Electrotécnia Industrial-Singel-Construcciones y Viviendas Paraguayas)
• Eléctrico Cordillera (Tecnoedil Constructora-Benito Roggio e Hijos-Compañía Técnica Paraguaya-Ascent) 

The call is divided into three lots of distribution infrastructure for a combined US$43.7mn and is financed by the European Investment Bank.

Meanwhile, Consorcio Binacional Yguazú (ESIN Consultora-Electroconsult del Paraguay-Ingenieros Consultores de Estudios y Proyectos-Ingeneg) is the top ranked bidder in Ande’s tender to oversee the 500kV, US$100mn Yguazú-Valenzuela transmission project.

The runner-ups for the US$6.5mn contract are Consorcio Cointec-Nippon Koei-Electropar and Consorcio Vitoria (Consultora Paraguaya-Nova Engevix Engenharia e Projetos).

Legislation

Following lower house approval, the senate greenlighted an amendment to a law which establishes penalties for electricity theft. The change increases prison time and allows for the confiscation of the elements or devices used in the theft.

And after senate approval, the house approved a bill to boost private hydroelectric participation. The initiative targets small-scale hydro and would amend the law for the independent production and transport of electricity.

The bills have been sent to the executive.

Smart meters

Industry and commerce minister Javier Giménez and South Korea’s ambassador Chan-sik Yoon participated in the official presentation of advanced metering infrastructure company NuriFlex Paraguay.

The Seoul-based firm began establishing its presence in the country earlier this year and will boast a manufacturing plant in Mariano Roque Alonso, with plans to export products to neighboring countries.