Fear of power outages: The government is preparing for record energy consumption in the face of the first heat wave in 2025

The temperatures were in December
Temperatures in December were lower than expected for months and gave relief to the electrical grid (Telam)

the Electrical Wholesale Market Management Company SA (Cammesa) Demand is expected this week Electricity and energy It could reach a new record in Argentina, under The first heat wave of summer 2025. Team of the Minister of Energy Maria TitamantiIt is now holding weekly meetings with the sector to monitor the status of the system and accelerate the next steps of its risk mitigation plan power failure In the face of jumps in demand.

Temperatures in December were lower than expected months earlier, bringing relief to a grid that had suffered from decline over two decades due to underinvestment resulting from tariff delay policies of that period, but also adding to the decline in energy supplies, according to both private As official sources. But climate forecasts indicate so The truce has ended.

Maria Titamanti, Minister of Energy
Maria Titamanti, Minister of Energy

“Available forecasts indicate that the week between 11/1/25 and 1/17/25 will see maximum temperatures of 36°C and minimum temperatures of 25°C on Kapaa, resulting in averages of 30-31°C, and even more demanding In the center and north of the country, where it reaches between 32 and 34 degrees Celsius on average, which is expected to be a week of high demand on the electricity system, as there is a high possibility that the demand will reach or even exceed Current records for power and energy (597.7 GWh and 29,653 MW),” Cammesa detailed in its weekly programming report.

The company expects the possibility of importing energy from it Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia and Brazil To cover peak demand, which depends on the availability of each of these countries. On the other hand, it was noted that the transmission and distribution conditions are operating under “normal” conditions.

According to forecasts, the worst situation is expected for this Thursday the 16th, when demand will reach its peak 29.662 megawatts Expect a new record high above the historical maximum of 29,653 MW on February 1, 2024. This situation could put further pressure on the national electrical system.

The Tettamanti team now holds weekly meetings, and a meeting is expected on Wednesday with representatives of Cammesa, ENRE, generators, transporters, large users and equipment distributors. Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA)Edisor and Edenor. The parties form a “committee to monitor the implementation of the emergency plan for the critical months 2024-2026.” Concern continues among companies about the possibility of network outages.

The government seeks to strengthen
The government seeks to strengthen the electrical system during heat waves (EFE)

The main eye of the sector is on AMBA, where 40% of the electricity demand in the entire country is concentrated. The critical moment usually occurs between noon and 4 p.m., when the air conditioners are running. At that time, a peak of 12,000 MW is consumed in that area, of which 7,000 MW is supplied by the interconnected system and the plants in Capa and Greater Buenos Aires must contribute the remaining 5,000 MW, according to the generator. Information.

This month Energy will also launch tenders for works seeking to strengthen the system in the future, but these will take shape in the next two years: 1) a tender for energy storage (this will be the first time this has happened in Argentina), 2) tenders for a new thermoelectric generator and 3) a bid Bids to expand AMBA’s electric transportation capacity.

The government highlights that they inherited an electricity system that is “on the verge of collapse” and underinvested. “Delays in investments have left a fragile system, with 40% of facilities reaching the end of their useful lives and a transportation network that has grown by just 0.8% per year compared to a 2% increase in residential demand,” they explained.

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