Fermaca wins La Laguna - Aguascalientes gas pipeline

Mexico's Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) has recently awarded the development and operation of the La Laguna–Aguascalientes gas pipeline project in Mexico to Fermaca, who presented the best economic proposal for an amount of US$373 million, representing a saving of 70% compared to the amount budgeted by the CFE.

As we reported on February 24th, the following companies were in competition for the project development:

• Fermaca Pipeline La Laguna S. de R.L. de C.V
• Transportadora de Gas Natural del Noroeste, S. de R. L. de C V., a subsidiary of Canadian energy infrastructure company TransCanada
• Gasoducto de Aguaprieta, S. de R. L. de C. V., a subsidiary of Infraestructura Energética Nova S.A.B. de C.V. (IEnova), the Mexican unit of US-based Sempra Energy

The project comprises the engineering, procurement, acquisition of real estate rights, permits and governmental approvals, funding, construction, operation and maintenance of a 600 km, 42-inch gas pipeline with capacity of 1.1Bf3/d.

The La Laguna–Aguascalientes gas pipeline will supply natural gas to CFE's power generation plants in the states of Durango, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes, as well as to the central and western parts of Mexico.

The estimated project implementation time is 23 months. This project will be interconnected to El Encino–La Laguna pipeline, currently under construction, and the Villa de Reyes–Aguascalientes–Guadalajara pipeline, which is in tender stage yet and it recently received interest from:

• Fermanca Pipeline de Occidente
• Energía Occidente de México (a subsidiary of TransCanada Corporation)
• Enagás Internacional
• Gasoducto de Aguaprieta (a subsidiary of IEnova)