Argentina launches US$800 million energy infrastructure tender

The Argentine government has launched a national and international tender for the AMBA I project, a major energy infrastructure initiative involving an estimated US$800 million in private investment. The project aims to strengthen the electrical grid in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA), a region that accounts for approximately 40% of the country's total energy demand.

The scope of the AMBA I tender includes the construction of a 270-kilometer, 500 kV transmission line and a new transformer station in Plomer, Buenos Aires province. This work is expected to expand the system's capacity by approximately 2,000 megawatts.

Financing will be primarily provided by the private sector, with an initial US$100 million contribution from CAMMESA (Compañía Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Eléctrico S.A.) consisting of cash and transformers. Presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier emphasized that the project will not utilize state treasury funds. The initiative is backed by a guarantee from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the winning bidder may apply for the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI) to access fiscal benefits and regulatory stability.