Argentina awards two more battery storage projects in AlmaGBA tender

The Argentine Energy Secretariat has awarded two new electricity storage contracts within the AlmaGBA bidding process, adding 46 MW to the 667 MW already awarded.

The new contracts relate to the 24 MW Chingolo Sull BESS (battery energy storage system) and the 22 MW Brown BESS projects by Sullair and Rowing, respectively. Both sites will be connected to Edesur networks in the AMBA region. The developers of those BESS agreed to reduce their initial electricity price bids to the $12,591 per megawatt, per month figure set for any extra projects allocated after the bidding process was concluded.

The developer of BESS Chingolo Sull had originally offered $13,900/MW/month, and the BESS Brown developer $14,200/MW/month.

The extension of the storage program is the result of a mechanism in AlmaGBA bidding documents, which allows for the inclusion of projects that agree to lower their bid price, within certain limits.

The 500 MW AMBA storage program has now actually awarded 713 MW of project capacity.

The AlmaGBA initiative, Argentina’s largest battery storage procurement scheme, had already topped its initial aim by awarding contracts for 667 MW of sites.

The energy authority noted the BESS will provide operational backup in times of high demand or supply disruption. Any further projects to be commissioned for the program must accept the price of $12,591/MW/month.

The government has also implemented a mandatory National Registry of Electric Energy Storage Projects for all BESS connected to the National Interconnected System. The objective is to centralize information, standardize criteria, and strengthen oversight of the Argentinian storage market.

From pv magazine LatAm.