The Nation agreed to a credit of US$ 540 million to bring gas to the North of Argentina

The Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, agreed with the president of the Development Bank for Latin America (former CAF), Sergio Díaz Granados, financing for 540 million dollars for a works plan that will allow dribble the drop in imports from Bolivia and bring gas to the provinces of Northwestern Argentina who have risk in their service.

The agreement was agreed last night and was highlighted both by the authorities of the former CAF and by Massa, and it was detailed that the credit will be finally approved in March.

The works in question include the construction of a new gas pipeline, between La Carlota and Tío Pujioin Córdoba, added to the reversal of the direction of the shipments of the current North gas pipeline and works in the compression plants of the stretch.

From the Economy portfolio it was detailed that “The work will increase the supply of gas to the north of the country through Vaca Muerta, and it will increase the possibilities of gas export volumes to Chile and Brazil.” In reality, as Energía On anticipated at the beginning of the month, the priority of the work is to bring gas to the NOA provinces that today have their service at risk due to the drop in the production of Bolivia, which this year will send 60% less gas to that area.

We have closed with @AgendaCAF the Gas Works Plan that will be approved in March.

It will be 540 million dollars to build the La Carlota-Tío Pujio gas pipeline, the Reversal del Norte and the compression plants. pic.twitter.com/BBPvFLeHB2

— Sergio Massa (@SergioMassa) January 25, 2023

But above all, the greatest risk is in the winter of next year when it is possible that the Bolivian gas import contract that began in 2006 could be definitively cut off, affecting not only the users of all those provinces but also the only northern refinery, Refinor, and even the lithium extraction plants that use gas in their processes.

The Minister of Economy highlighted that “together with CAF, we have closed the Gas Works Plan that will be approved in March. It will be 540 million dollars to build the La Carlota-Tío Pujio gas pipeline, the Reversal del Norte and the compression plants”.

Marco Lavagna and Leonardo Macdur participated in the meeting on behalf of the Ministry of Economy; the Secretary of Energy of the Nation, Flavia Royón; the president of Enarsa, Agustín Gerez; the undersecretary of International Financial Relations for Development, Leandro Gorgal; and the National Director of Strategic Prioritization of External Financing, Mauro Conti. The CAF Vice President, Christian Asinelli; the representative of CAF, Patricia Alborta; and Jorge Srur, CAF’s Southern Regional Manager.