The restriction on CNG sales at the stations in La Plata and the Region practically completed the week and being able to load became even more difficult than it had been. So much so that at the points where they have a daily quota to dispatch, the lines of cars generated waits of an hour and a half before reaching the peak of the pump.
The painting derives from a decision related to the arrival of low temperatures. Camuzzi, the company that provides gas service in the province of Buenos Aires and other regions, decided to restrict sales at service stations to guarantee supply in homes and factories, given the increase in demand generated by the cold.
Stations can sign an “interruptible” contract with the company, which means that in the event of this contingency they must suspend the sale until further notice. On the other hand, the “firm” type of contract allows you to have a certain quota that is renewed every day. The former, in the case of La Plata, have not sold CNG since Tuesday afternoon, while the latter do ship until they cover the daily limit.
Once exhausted, they will only be able to resume the next day. Faced with the accumulation of days with this restriction, it can be seen that increasingly long lines form in front of the filling stations, many of which by mid-morning must announce that they no longer have CNG and motorists, taxi drivers, remises and individuals alike, leave chewing anger in search of another where perhaps they will have a chance to charge. Yesterday, the lines extended for up to four blocks.
According to official sources, in La Plata and the Region there are 67 CNG service stations, of which 38 have a firm contract, that is, they have a renewable daily quota, while the remaining 29 have not dispensed since Tuesday. The measure is also applied in other urban centers in the country.
“I lost an hour here. You always arrive and stay for a little while,” lamented Jorge, one of the taxi drivers who spoke with this newspaper at a station in Villa Catella, about the trips he missed while waiting to fill up with gas. “At night there was no one left. They all closed and now there are one or two,” said the taxi driver mid-morning and warned that “winter has just started. If we start like this, we are going wrong. Thank goodness we are gas producers,” he said ironically. He clarified that CNG is essential for the sector: “If it has to be with gasoline, it was left at home for me. I would work to pay for gas,” he said. “It is always paid by the worker. We pay taxes, we are in order and we have to waste time with this. On top of that, gas is very expensive,” said another transporter who joined the conversation with this newspaper.
According to the sources consulted by this newspaper about the weekend, the restrictions do not have a defined end yet.
