Developer pushes for geothermal development in northwestern Argentina

Valle del Cura, San Juan, Argentina (source: Geotermia Andina)

Alexander Richter 18 Nov 2018

Geothermal development company Geotermia Andina has not giving up on its efforts to develop geothermal projects in Argentina. The company has been working on possible development in the province of San Juan that could provide a clean and competitive energy supply for the local mining sector since 2009. San Juan is a province of west-central Argentina in the Andes region near the Chilean border.

At a recent meeting, Giorgio Stangalino, President of Geotermia Andina met with the Governor of San Juan, Sergio Uñac

The meeting took place between the governor, Sergio Uñac; Fabian Ejarque, director of the San Juan Agency for Investment Development and Giorgio Stangalino, president of Geotermia Andina and of the Geothermal Chamber of Argentina.

Geotermia Andina proposes development near the operation of mining company Minera Andina del Sol. The company pushes for establishment of links with the mining sector to provide power to the different mining activities in the region, mostly gold, silver and copper.

So far, the company has invested more than $3 million and hopes to become an electricity supplier to the local mining sector and maybe even export part of its power to Chile.

For his part, Stangalino explained that they work in the Los Despoblados geothermal field in San Juan. “The project is to use high temperature geothermal fluids to produce electricity, which is clean, renewable and constant, 24 hours a day. We want to dialogue with mining companies and for that we have the support of the province, given that this is an indigenous resource.

San Juan is likley the most promising province of the Argentinian Andes with regards to geothermal resources. The Valle Del Cura area itself has six geothermal manifestations, from which high temperature hot water is evident, with the potential to generate enough megawatts to supply electric power to companies and also to the Black Water Tunnel. Having energy means development “, concluded the Mr. Stangalino.

Source: Si San Juan