The Uruguayan engineering and construction company wants to replicate in Argentina the experience that it managed to achieve in its home country, where it has participated in wind and solar energy projects totaling over 350 MW. The company has positioned itself as a benchmark in terms of the execution of high voltage generation and substation projects.

Ingener’s case is an excellent example of how a medium-sized organization can compete side by side with major engineering and construction players at a regional scale, through meeting the client’s satisfaction and, thus, building trust.

The Uruguay-based company is engaged in the business of implementing medium and high voltage projects, such as substations and power generation stations. Established in 1998, in the last few years the company has developed greatly due to the boom of conventional and renewable energy generation projects in its domestic market. Regarding the latter, out of a countrywide total of 1500 MW of renewable energy, Ingener took part in over 200 MW of wind power projects and over 150 MW of solar energy projects. This high market share is largely explained by its experience in this kind of projects, a leading engineering team, a track record of timely and smooth execution, and the recommendation of its clients. “We have won new projects based on the trust we gained with the previous ones,” says Diego Invernizzi, Ingener’s Commercial Manager.

Meeting Challenges

In Uruguay, where it runs several projects of 50 MW each on average, Ingener began its participation in the renewable energy market by executing high voltage interconnection projects, and then by being awarded with contract extensions for the electric BOP and civil works for wind turbine foundations. Currently, it has two 70 MW wind power projects underway for a wind turbine manufacturer (one of which will begin operating at the end of the year and the other in mid-2017), where it is completing the wind farms’ substation and power grid works under an EPC contract. Inegener is also working on two other solar-photovoltaic projects in which it is performing the turnkey BOS (civil works, supplies, assembly and commissioning).

After positioning itself as a benchmark for electric power facilities in its country of origin, Ingener began to expand into the Southern Cone and is currently implementing two contracts in Bolivia and one in Argentina. In Argentina, it has landed the Matheu thermal power plant (250 MW) project, located in Pilar, province of Buenos Aires, for APR (the company that holds the power generation contract and which Ingener has previously worked with in Uruguay, assembling 300 MW of thermal power). Ingener is in charge of the mechanical and electrical assembly of the equipment and the associated services, and also of the high voltage connection to the existing 132 kV substation.

In Bolivia, meanwhile, it is implementing a turnkey EPC contract for two 230 kV substations for two hydroelectric power plants. “We are trying to capitalize on the experience and trust earned in Uruguay as builders and suppliers of engineering among world-class manufacturers and developers (who are the same throughout the region) to handle projects in Argentina,” Invernizzi says. “The idea in dealing with renewable energy projects in this country is to run the engineering and equipment & materials procurement, to manage the project, and to subcontract or make strategic partnerships with local companies to supply the machinery and the labor for the construction. That is to say, to look for complementary connections to solve challenges”, adds Invernizzi.

A very interesting market

The purpose of Ingener’s management is to face the challenges that the RenovAr Program (the implementation of the new Renewable Energy Law) will trigger for developers operating in Argentina. The program aims to incorporate 1,000 MW of renewable energy power into the market and has set objectives for incorporating approximately 20% of this type of resource into the national grid by 2020. “Argentina is a very interesting market. We have begun working and there is already a vital excitement around everything related to renewables. The country has the resources, the need and many people interested in working in this field. That is why we believe that there is enormous work potential over the next few years,” says Invernizzi, who is part of a stable staff totaling 700 people (with the capacity to manage more than 1,000 in subcontracts for large projects). He and the rest of the staff contribute to Ingener’s annual turnover of approximately US$ 60 million.

What are the main differences between you and your competitors in the region? Our experience in this type of project, a leading engineering team, a record of timely and smooth executions, and the recommendation of our clients.

What goals do you expect to crystallize in Argentina?
The main challenges are set for next year and have to do with taking part in two major renewable projects; one for wind power and another related to photovoltaic power. Of course, we depend on the market creating these opportunities and the implementation of these projects, but we are very confident that it will happen and that there will be a lot of work ahead. We are already participating in bids for both technologies and we believe we will be competitive by improving the expected execution times so as not to exceed costs. We know how to buy internationally, we have alliances with manufacturers and strategic suppliers, and we know the job very well.

What differences do you see among the markets where you operate?
In Bolivia everything is state-managed; in Uruguay, there is a state/private mix and in Argentina, there is a private market with a very important need; if they decide to make progress, they must do it quickly. We have also evaluated the possibility of making a foothold in the Peruvian and Chilean markets but we decided to focus mainly on Argentina, because if this goes ahead and the projects should be implemente, we will have a lot of work.

What volume of operations are you prepared to serve in our country?

We can handle many projects because in Uruguay, where our main activity was focused, the demand for energy has already been met and no major industrial projects are expected in the next few years. That explains why we are concentrating all our efforts in Argentina.

Source: Revista Petroquímica No.325  – November 2016