Argentine Interconnection System
{{short description|Wide area electric power grid of Argentina}}
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The Argentine Interconnection System (Spanish: Sistema Argentino de Interconexión, SADI) is a wide area synchronous grid that links the regional networks of all Argentinian provinces, with the exception of Tierra del Fuego. It is also connected to the power grids of several neighboring countries.{{Cite web|last=Oieni|first=Antonio|date=11 May 2016|title=De exportar a importar|url=https://www.eltribuno.com/salta/nota/2016-5-11-1-30-0-de-exportar-a-importar|access-date=2020-08-10|website=El Tribuno|location=Salta|language=es}}{{Cite news|date=10 December 1997|title=La Argentina y Chile estarán integradas eléctricamente|language=es-AR|work=La Nación|publication-place=Buenos Aires|url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/economia/la-argentina-y-chile-estaran-integradas-electricamente-nid82752/}}{{Cite web|title=Interconexión Eléctrica Regional {{!}} UCL|url=http://hrudnick.sitios.ing.uc.cl/alumno12/intercreg/Mercosur.html|access-date=2020-08-10|website=Pontifical Catholic University of Chile}}{{Cite news|date=30 December 1999|title=Segunda conexión eléctrica entre la Argentina y Brasil|language=es-AR|work=La Nación|url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/economia/segunda-conexion-electrica-entre-la-argentina-y-brasil-nid166637/|access-date=9 August 2020}}
The network is {{convert|20296|km|mi}} long, of which {{convert|14197|km|mi}} represent 500 kV power lines.{{Cite web|date=12 June 2020|title=Informe anual 2019|trans-title=2019 Annual report|url=https://portalweb.cammesa.com/memnet1/Pages/descargas.aspx|access-date=2020-08-10|website=portalweb.cammesa.com|publisher=Compañía Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Eléctrico Sociedad Anónima|language=es-AR}} These power lines are operated by Transener.{{Cite web|title=The Argentine Electricity Sector|url=https://ri.pampaenergia.com/en/our-assets/electricity-power/the-argentine-electricity-sector/|access-date=2020-08-10|website=Pampa Energia|language=en-US}}
History
The interconnection system began by including transmission lines and substations built by AyEE, HIDRONOR and others constructed by private initiative. Those lines primarily linked the generation centers distributed along the country with the major consumption center in the Greater Buenos Aires area.{{Cite journal|last=Gayo|first=Ricardo J.|date=August 2009|title=Sistema Interconectado Nacional (SIN) en 500 kV|url=http://www.petrotecnia.com.ar/petro_08/SIN_SP.pdf|journal=Petrotecnia|language=es-AR|publisher=Argentine Institute of Oil and Gas (IAPG)}}
In 1947, the General Direction of Water and Electric Power was created by presidential decree, with the task of planning, construction and operation of electrical power plants, transmission lines and substations.{{Cite web|date=24 February 1947|title=Decreto N° 3967/47|trans-title=3967/47 decree|url=http://mepriv.mecon.gov.ar/Normas/3967.htm|access-date=2020-08-10|website=mepriv.mecon.gov.ar|publisher=Argentina Executive|language=es-AR}}{{Cite web|date=19 April 1947|title=Decreto N° 9932/47|trans-title=9932/47 decree|url=http://mepriv.mecon.gov.ar/Normas/9932-47.htm|access-date=2020-08-10|website=mepriv.mecon.gov.ar|publisher=Argentina Executive|language=es-AR}}{{Cite journal|last=Villulla|first=Carlos Alberto|date=2012|title=Análisis del Sistema Argentino de Interconexión|url=http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/bitstream/handle/10915/27006/Documento_completo.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|format=PDF|journal=Anales de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales|language=es-AR|publisher=National University of La Plata|volume=42|issn=0075-7411}}
In 1960, Act 15336 (Electric Energy Law) is approved, recognizing a "National Interconnection Network" that would integrate all the country's regional networks. This would change the jurisdiction of those networks from a provincial to a national control. This new national network would be controlled by a new organism to be created, the Federal Council of Electric Power, under the national Energy & Fuel Secretary structure.{{Cite web|date=15 September 1960|title=LEY 15.336|trans-title=15.336 Act|url=http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/25000-29999/28195/texact.htm|access-date=2020-08-10|website=mepriv.mecon.gov.ar|publisher=Argentina Executive|language=es-AR}}
This new organism would have representatives of the central government as well as the provinces and the City of Buenos Aires, intending to unify criteria and not only satisfy the interests of Buenos Aires.
In 1991, the State Reform law brought privatization for the energy companies, creating a new regulatory framework for the energy and utilities sector. This would be included in the 24065 Act, which created the Wholesale Energy Market and the National Electricity Regulatory Entity (ENRE).{{Cite web|date=16 January 1992|title=LEY 24.065 - REGIMEN DE LA ENERGIA ELECTRICA|trans-title=24065 Act - Electric energy regime|url=http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/0-4999/464/norma.htm|access-date=2020-08-10|website=mepriv.mecon.gov.ar|publisher=Argentina Executive|language=es-AR}} It also creates a new public entity to regulate the Interconnection, the National Cargoes Dispatch (DNDC), which would incorporate in 1002 in the form of a sociedad anónima (a private corporation) with the name Compañía Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Eléctrico Sociedad Anónima (CAMMESA).{{Cite web|date=10 July 1992|title=Decreto 1192 / 1992|trans-title=1192 / 1992 Decree|url=https://www.argentina.gob.ar/normativa/nacional/decreto-1192-1992-9615|access-date=2020-08-10|website=Argentina.gob.ar|publisher=Argentina Executive|language=es-AR}}
Main figures
According to the 2019 annual report by CAMMESA, that year the network showed the following figures:
| class="wikitable"
|+Energy Demand by Region !Region !Annual Demand (in GWh) !Share % |
| Greater Buenos Aires
|48,553 |37.7% |
| Littoral
|15,638 |12.1% |
| Buenos Aires Province
|14,903 |11.6% |
| Center (Cordoba and San Luis Provinces)
|11,240 |8.7% |
| Northwest
|10,206 |7.9% |
| Northeast
|9,294 |7.2% |
| Cuyo
|8,050 |6.2% |
| Patagonia (excl. Río Negro and Neuquén)
|6,078 |4.7% |
| Comahue (La Pampa, Río Negro and Neuquén)
|4,943 |3.8% |
| Total
| 128,905 |100% |
| class="wikitable"
|+Energy generation by heat source !Heat Source !Plant Type !Annual Power (in MW) |
| Hydraulic
|10,812 |
| rowspan="4" |Fossil fuel
|11,245 |
| Natural Gas Turbine
|7,396 |
| Steam Turbine
|4,251 |
| Diesel
|1,653 |
| Nuclear
|1,755 |
| rowspan="5" |Renewable Energy
|1,609 |
| Solar Energy
|439 |
| Renewable hidraulic
|498 |
| Biogas
|44 |
| Biomass
|2 |
International links
The system connects to several neighboring countries:
- Argentina–Chile
- Interandes: TermoAndes – Chilgener (from 2001 on, AES TermoAndes)
- Paraguay–Argentina
- Carlos Antonio López (Paraguay) – Eldorado (Argentina). 132 kV{{Cite web|date=1 November 2018|title=ANDE restablece venta de energía eléctrica a la República Argentina|url=http://www.ande.gov.py/interna.php?id=5514#.XHCEOMZ7loA|website=ANDE (Paraguay)|language=es-PY}}
- Guarambaré (Paraguay) – Clorinda (Argentina). 220 kV
- Argentina–Uruguay
- Salto Grande Dam (1.890 MW power station)
- Argentina–Brasil
- Paso de los Libres – Uruguaiana (50 MW line)
- Rincón – Garabi – Ita I
- Rincón – Garabi – Ita II
2019 Blackout
{{Main|2019 Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay blackout}}
On 16 June 2019, a large-scale power outage struck most of Argentina, all of Uruguay, and parts of Paraguay. It was caused by an operational misbehavior from Transener, a transmission lines operator in Argentina.{{Cite news|last=Spaltro|first=Santiago|date=4 June 2020|title=A un año del apagón, no hubo multas para Transener y otras eléctricas|language=es-AR|trans-title=A year after the blackout, no fines for Transener and other electric companies|work=El Cronista|url=https://www.cronista.com/economiapolitica/A-un-ano-del-apagon-no-hubo-multas-para-Transener-y-otras-electricas-20200603-0058.html}}{{Cite web|date=3 July 2019|title=REUNIÓN DE LA COMISIÓN DE MINERÍA, ENERGÍA Y COMBUSTIBLES|trans-title=Hearing of the mining, energy and fuels commission|url=https://www.senado.gob.ar/upload/31052.pdf|website=Argentine Senate|language=es-AR|access-date=10 August 2020|archive-date=11 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911145730/https://www.senado.gob.ar/upload/31052.pdf|url-status=dead}}
A short circuit which lowered demand, caused an excess of power generation in the grid, a lack of synchronization of power plants, loss of balance, and a low frequency in the network, triggering massive automatic disconnections from the grid. This caused a blackout that, in a matter of 30 seconds, came to affect 50 million users in the continent.
External links
- [https://aplic.cammesa.com/geosadi/ Complete map of the Argentinian power grid (SADI)]