The sale of CNG in gas stations in the province of Buenos Aires is suspended

The onset of cold of moderate intensity triggered a first energy supply crisis: 130 service stations located in Buenos Aires and La Pampa that supply CNG had to cut off the supply due to a drop in the supply available in the system. The decision was communicated by the company Camuzzi to the interior sellers of Buenos Aires and La Pampa who operate under the “interruptible service” contract.

In addition, other distribution companies have suspended supply to industries and SMEs that have this type of agreement. Companies that subcontract “firm transport” can continue to consume, even if the service is more expensive for them.

The impact of this measure on industrial activity is not known because he is now resentful or paralyzed by the extra long weekend. And then it will run at half speed due to the adjustment of the restrictions imposed by the government to stop the second wave of covid-19.

This valve, which the concessionaires have closed, is foreseen in the contracts and aims to guarantee the supply of “priority demand”, ie homes, hospitals and essential organizations. The situation will be reversed when “the volume of gas in the system returns to normal,” the concession companies said.

The causes of the cut

The sources of the distribution companies coincide in attributing the reasons for this reduction to a combination of factors: first, the decline in the supply of clean gas production, which has dragged on since the start of the conflict of health workers in Neuquén, which has blocked the extraction factories of this province of Patagonia.

In addition, a dockers’ strike complicates the operation of the regasification vessel which was to be moored in the port of Bahía Blanca to inject natural gas into the network this winter. The freighter had to inject 17 million cubic meters at Escobar and was only able to regasify 9 million.

Another boat due to enter this weekend has been delayed due to adverse weather conditions in recent hours, industry sources said. The Federation of the Maritime, Port and Naval Industry of the Argentine Republic, led by Juan Carlos Schmidt, claims to be considered “essential” and to receive vaccines against the coronavirus.

The shortage of gaseous fuel started last week, but with an impact on the provinces of northwest Argentina: Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy had reduced the sale of CNG at stations, according to businessmen from this category. Later it spread to parts of Cordoba, Santa Fe and Cuyo, and now it will begin to be felt in Buenos Aires.

Camuzzi provides 260 indoor stations. Half have “interruptible” contracts. “Due to the new restrictions imposed by the government, demand is lower, but in La Plata there is almost no sale of CNG “a taxi driver executive told Clarín.

The restriction has not yet affected the CABA and Greater Buenos Aires pumps. However, the arrival of low temperatures in the country could aggravate the lack of information. And also the extension of the dockers’ protest. Another regasification vessel is expected to enter Bahía Blanca on Wednesday, but on that day a 48-hour strike by the Workers’ Federation is called.

The cuts due to problems in the functioning of the system are known two weeks after the crisis that the government recorded due to differences between the Under Secretary for Energy, Federico Basualdo and the Minister of the Economy, Martín Guzmán, on variations in rate increases for 2021. The conflict has been suspended: Basualdo – whose resignation Guzmán wanted – is still in his post, but to this intrigue within the ministry is now added this episode which impacts consumers: for a much of Buenos Aires, the sale of natural gas was suspended to make the vehicles go.

La Plata (Correspondent)

AFG