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The Argentinian Ministry of Energy (Ministerio de Energía y Minería) has received 56 bids totalling 352 MW for the third round of the RenovAr programme that aimed at developing 400 MW small-scale renewable capacities across Argentina, of which 350 MW for wind and solar (that will compete together with quotas by regions and provinces), 25 MW for biomass, 10 MW for biogas, 10 MW for small hydropower and 5 MW for biomass from landfills. The minimum capacity per project was set at 500 kW and the maximum capacity at 10 MW. A maximum quota of 20 MW was established per province, except for Buenos Aires (60 MW).

Overall, 56 projects worth US$520m were submitted across 14 provinces, including 12 wind projects (155 MW), 18 solar PV projects (128 MW), 4 biomass projects (25 MW), 12 biogas projects (19 MW), 2 landfill gas projects (15 MW) and 8 small-hydropower projects (10 MW). Projects will be allocated on 22 July 2019. Winning bids will sign power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the  Compañía Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Eléctrico S.A. (CAMMESA).

147 projects were allocated under the framework of the RenovAr first and second rounds, of which 2,466 MW for wind power, 1,732 MW for solar projects, 158 MW for biomass, 65 MW for biomass, 32 MW for small hydropower and 13 MW for biomass from landfills. In total, 4,466 MW have been awarded at an average price of US$54.72/MWh.

US energy utility Entergy has shut fown its 677 MW Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth, Massachusetts (United States) after 47 years of operation. Pilgrim came onstream in 1972 and was purchased by Entergy in 1999 from Boston Edison.

The latest Colombian auction for new exploration contracts for 20 oil blocks attracted at least 22 qualified bidders, including Ecopetrol, Occidental Petroleum, Hunt Overseas and Noble Energy. Interested companies will have to submit bids by 4 June 2019 and winners will be announced on 16 July 2019. …

US energy group Cheniere Energy has made a positive final investment decision (FID) on the sixth train of the Sabine Pass II liquefaction and export terminal project (referred to as Sabine Pass II-6) in Cameron Parish, Louisiana (United States). The group has issued a full notice to proceed to Bechtel, which will build the 4.5 Mt/year train and a third LNG berth by 2023.

Mexico has officially launched the construction of the MXN 150bn (US$8bn) Dos Bocas refinery in southeastern Tabasco state, which is aimed at processing 340,000 bbl/d of crude oil and at producing 170,000 bbl/d of gasoline and 120,000 bbl/d of diesel. The project should help reduce Mexico’s dependence on gasoline imports, while developing the region.

South Korea’s power group Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) is interested in taking part to the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. The group has submitted the technical and price offer to Kazakhstan Nuclear power plants (KNPP) to win the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. KHNP had submitted a letter of intent in March 2019.

The German wind project developer WPD has achieved financial close for its 640 MW Yunlin offshore wind project in Taiwan. The TWD 94bn (US$3bn) wind project is supported by 19 banks and three export credit agencies from Denmark (EKF), Germany (Euler Hermes) and the Netherlands (Atradius).

Total plans to start its La Mede biodiesel refinery in southern France by mid-June 2019, which will process palm oil to produce 500,000 t/year of biodiesel. The start up of the controversial project has been delayed several times. …