CAMMESA has granted the project in Gonzales Chaves full commercial authorization to operate, and it’s already contributing 103.2 MW of power to the national grid. More green energy for TenarisSiderca, thanks to input from Techint Engineering & Construction.

After 15 months of intense work, Techint E&C has completed the construction of the Buena Ventura Wind Farm (PEBV) for Tenaris, in the town of Adolfo Gonzales Chaves, in the Argentine province of Buenos Aires. With the 24 wind turbines up and running, the Argentine energy market operator CAMMESA granted Tenaris commercial authorization in October 2023 and the park is already contributing 103.2 MW of power to the national grid.

The PEBV’s output means that half of the electricity consumed by the Tenaris Industrial Center in Campana is sourced from wind-generated power, substantially reducing the footprint of its operations and taking the company closer to its 2030 decarbonization goal of reducing carbon emissions by 30%.

During one of his most recent visits to the project, Paolo Rocca, Techint Group president and Tenaris CEO, pointed out that, thanks to this major project, Tenaris will be able to learn a great deal about the potential of wind energy, enabling the company to “continue expanding its investments in clean energy generation.”

The PEBV is the first wind farm for both Tenaris and the Techint Group in the world.

The challenges of construction

Guillermo Mayayo, Project Manager at the PEBV, explained that the main challenge they faced during the construction of the wind farm was the deadline, exacerbated by a complex global context characterized not only by the Ukraine-Russia war, but also by local changes in rules. Although this situation affected the timing for product deliveries and the import of equipment and components, he emphasized: “We were able to meet all the deadlines by redefining the plans on a weekly basis and developing an action plan with viable alternatives. We achieved this not only because of people’s level of commitment, but also because of the synergy achieved with Tenaris throughout the company.”

From a technical point of view, the project had to overcome challenges from the initial engineering phases, such as integrating the engineering provided by different suppliers, technologists and contractors in a very short period of time, according to Gaskón Bilbao, Project Engineering Manager at PEBV. “Over 20 engineering employees were asked to develop and/or supervise over 1,000 documents. We managed to give the project shape by drawing up clear management lines with our professionals in Seville (the company’s Power office in Spain) and here in Argentina,” he added.

Meanwhile, Javier Martínez Álvarez, President of Tenaris for the Southern Cone, declared: “This is a strategic project for our company, a milestone in our 2030 decarbonization plan and a step forward in the Techint Group's commitment to accompanying the transition to renewable energies. Congratulations to all the people who have contributed their knowledge and experience.”

The PEBV in numbers

The work undertaken by Techint E&C included laying some 20,000 m³ of concrete and installing 2,600 tons of steel structures to build the foundations for the 24 wind turbines. The three-bladed rotors are mounted on 130 meters high metal towers, connected through an 80 km-stretch of underground cabling to the 33 kV medium-voltage network.

The project also involved building 21 km of internal roads and the 24 turbine platforms, as well as laying a 6.5 km long 132 kV high-voltage line to link the park's new transformer station with the expanded Gonzales Chaves transformer station.

“We worked very closely with our subcontractors, who are specialists in electrical and communications works, and coordinated the different suppliers providing equipment and services throughout the project, from engineering to commissioning,” explained Fernando Echaiz, Subcontracts Administration Expert at the PEBV project.

“We built a terrific work team between Tenaris and Techint E&C, a group of people who were completely committed to this project which seeks to bring about the first big step in renewable energies for the Techint Group,” concluded Echaiz.

The total construction hours worked was 800,000.

According to the World Economic Forum, the steel industry is responsible for 8% of global CO₂ emissions. However, only 31% of steel mills use electric arc furnaces, like TenarisSiderca. Combined with other ongoing investments, such as the incorporation of CONSTEEL® technology into Furnace 6 at the steel mill, the PEBV is helping to ensure an increasingly sustainable production process for Tenaris.