The cold of May has further complicated the energy situation in the country. With temperatures expected to hit historic lows for the month, the Government has sent a letter to companies in the gas industry to put them on alert. This notice anticipates a significant increase in demand and requires specific details for the operation in the coming days, seeking to prevent shortages.
The letter, dated yesterday and signed by Carlos Alberto Casares, auditor of Enargas, and with a copy to the Secretary of Energy, Eduardo Rodríguez Chirillo, is addressed to the main gas transportation and distribution companies in the country. Among them are TGN, TGS, Metrogas, Litoral Gas, Naturgy, Gas Nea, Gasnor, Camuzzi Gas Pampeana, Camuzzi Gas del Sur, Central Gas Distributor, Cuyana Gas Distributor and Redengas. The letter points out the need to be prepared for a possible increase in demand.
In the gas sector there is talk of “unpredictability”, pointing out the lack of measures and investment and how the cold has shown inadequate preparation. One of the companies expressed their concern, indicating that “they save and have a surplus due to these problems.” This situation is aggravated because the Néstor Kirchner Gasduct is not yet operating at full capacity, providing only 11 million cubic meters per day when it should be 24 million. In addition, Cammesa had to purchase liquid fuel ships for around USD 400 million in advance.
Gas has two types of demand: uninterruptible, which is residential, and interruptible, which includes CNG and some industries. In case of shortage, cuts are made first in interruptible contracts, then in industry, and finally – in more complex situations – in plants that use natural gas to generate electricity. The Government letter requests the “identification and quantification of interruptible transport (TI) contracts that may be susceptible to cuts” to speed up decision-making and ensure priority residential supply. The “pre-emergency” status mentioned in the letter is a protocol term that indicates the seriousness of the situation.
With information from Infobae
