AlmaSADI: National and International Open Call for the Supply of Electricity through Storage Facilities for Reserve and Reliability in the WEM
Energy and Public Law Departments Report | AlmaSADI: National and International Open Call for the Supply of Electricity through Storage Facilities for Reserve and Reliability in the WEM.
Pursuant to Resolution No. 50/2026 (the “SE Resolution 50/2026”), the Federal Secretariat of Energy launched the National and International Open Call for the Supply of Electricity through Storage Facilities for Reserve and Reliability in the WEM (AlmaSADI) (the “Tender”), for the purpose of awarding power storage agreements to be entered into with CAMMESA for the supply of capacity, and operational short-term reserves to the Wholesale Electricity Market (the “WEM”) for up to 700 MW of target capacity.
The Tender seeks to incorporate energy storage generation supply to ensure the reliability and sustainability of the WEM, particularly at certain nodes and regions of the national grid. SE Resolution 50/2026 aims to replicate, on a broader territorial scale, AlmaGBA, a tender pursuant to which energy storage generation projects were awarded exclusively in the Greater Buenos Aires area.
Similarly to the AlmaGBA tender —where Edesur and Edenor’s, the two power distribution companies of the area of influence, consent was required— the Tender requires the consent of the relevant power transmission licensees.
Offers must include the supply of the Supplied Energy and availability of the Committed Capacity for at least four (4) consecutive hours, through new battery energy storage systems (BESS). CAMMESA will be responsible for issuing the commercial documentation and making the monthly payments under the storage agreements to be executed — in accordance with “Los Procedimientos”— and shall include, within the WEM’s economic transactions, the cost of such agreements as a reliability reserve service to be borne by the entire WEM demand.
In accordance with the bidding terms and conditions approved by SE Resolution No. 50/2026 –which set out detailed provisions regarding, among other matters, the economic conditions of offers and contracts, maximum capacities, timeline, and bid requirements–, the following aspects are worth highlighting:
-The Storage Agreements shall have a maximum term of fifteen (15) years.
-For purposes of “federalizing” the Tender, and following the approach used under the RenovAR program, in addition to the overall cap of 700 MW to be awarded, capacity to be awarded per region may not exceed the following limits: (1) BAS: 150 MW; (2) Centre: 100 MW; (3) La Pampa: 50 MW; (4) Litoral: 220 MW; (5) NEA: 250 MW; (6) NOA: 120 MW; and (7) Cuyo: 100 MW. Maximum caps per interconnection node shall also apply, and the projects must have an individual capacity between 10 MW and 150 MW.
-Each bid must be supported by a bid bond in the amount of US$ 10,000 per MW of maximum offered capacity.
-No minimum permits or authorizations are required at the time of bid submission. However, within ninety (90) business days following receipt of the award notice, awardees must evidence that they have, at least, initiated the permit/authorization procedures related to: (1) site availability; (2) land-use authorization; (3) WEM agent (generator) authorization; (4) access to transmission capacity; and (5) environmental permits/authorizations.
-Awardees must make certain payments in order to maintain the award, as follows: (1) an initial payment of US$ 4,000/MW within ten (10) business days following the award notice; and (2) incremental quarterly payments to maintain the award until the project achieves COD: (a) US$ 4,000/MW through 4Q 2027; (b) US$ 6,000/MW from 1Q 2028 through 4Q 2028; and (c) US$ 8,000/MW from 1Q 2029 through 4Q 2029. CAMMESA will administer these amounts and, once commercial operation is achieved, will reimburse such sums to the awardee, in whole or in part, depending on the year in which commercial operation is achieved (100% if achieved by June 30, 2027; 75% if achieved by June 30, 2028; and 50% if achieved by December 31, 2029).
With respect to the Tender’s schedule, the following is provided:
-Inquiries: March 6, 2026 through April 17, 2026.
-Responses to inquiries: March 13, 2026 through April 24, 2026.
-Bid submission and opening of Envelope “A”: May 8, 2026.
-Publication of bid qualification based on Envelope “A”: May 28, 2026.
-Opening of Envelope “B” (economic offer): June 5, 2026.
-Award: June 19, 2026.
-Execution of storage agreements: as from June 25, 2026.
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the foregoing.