Who Would Have Thought? Chile Exports Electricity and Gas to Argentina

Abstract

On January 29 of this year, Energy Minister Máximo Pacheco announced an agreement to sell—starting in May—5.5 million cubic meters per day of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Argentina. The operation would be carried out through two zones. In the north, using the GNL Mejillones terminal and the NorAndino pipeline in the Antofagasta Region, and in the central zone, using the GNL Quintero terminal and the GasAndes pipeline in the Metropolitan Region. On February 12, 2016, Chile began exporting electricity to Argentina. The sale uses the Andes-Salta line, which interconnects Chile's Northern Interconnected System (SING) with the Argentine Interconnection System (SADI) in Argentina. That line was built to bring electricity from Salta to northern Chile, but it fell out of use in the second half of the last decade because of the Argentine gas crisis. In February and March, 37,070 MWh were exported. Continue reading...