The national government has announced the results of the Alma-GBA tender for battery energy storage systems (BESS) projects in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA). A total capacity of 667 MW has been awarded, exceeding the initial target of 500 MW. The additional capacity was added to the original awarded capacity of 500 MW due to the high interest from private sector players as well as the competitiveness of the bids received.
The awarded project will sign contracts with distributors Edenor and Edesur, with the Wholesale Electricity Market Administration Company (CAMMESA) acting as the final payment guarantor. The total planned investment for these projects is expected to exceed $540 million. The projects are expected to be operational within 12 to 18 months.
A total of 15 companies submitted 27 projects amounting to a capacity of 1,347 MW. Furthermore, the Energy Secretariat invited five qualified projects, totalling 222 MW, that were not selected based on price but have no transportation restrictions, to sign contracts at $12,591 per MWh per month. These developers must confirm acceptance with CAMMESA within five business days.
The Alma-GBA tender represents Argentina’s first large-scale storage initiative using BESS to strengthen grid reliability, reduce outages, lower marginal costs, and improve flexibility in energy despatch. It forms part of the contingency plan introduced in 2024 to restore electricity infrastructure and advance the electricity market’s normalisation process.
