Peru: Cusco’s first natural gas station is already in operation
After 16 years of waiting, the Regional Government of Cusco finally opened in the San Jerónimo district the first CNG filling station, which will allow to promote and change the energy matrix to lower the costs of transportation fuel, as well as to implement the widespread use of this energy in the homes and industries of the Cusco region.
“The gas will reach homes and the regional industry, that is our immediate challenge,” said the regional governor, Jean Paul Benavente, during the inauguration. “It was not an easy task because we had stumbles. We had to obtain permits from Osinergmin (Supervisory Agency for Investment in Energy and Mining) and municipal licenses. Now we have to think about all the possibilities that our most important energy resource will offer us,” he added.
Benavente recalled that to make this CNG station a reality he signed an inter-institutional cooperation agreement with the Camisea Consortium in 2019 for the installation of three service stations in total, two located in Cusco and the other in Quillabamba, with the aim of generating up to 50% savings in the beneficiaries’ economy. “The era of Camisea natural gas begins in Cusco, with lower CO2 emissions, reduction of noise pollution by 50%, less noise and vibrations,” he said.
In addition, the free conversion of more than a 1,000 gasoline vehicles to natural gas technology was agreed in two workshops authorized by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC). “So far, 50 vehicles have benefited, out of the more than 400 registered,” said the regional authority.
The Regional Government, the Camisea Consortium, Lima Gas Natural, BIOCOM (EDS San Jerónimo), the Eco Perú Gas conversion workshop (Huancaro) and GM Conversiones (San Jerónimo) participate in this project with investments that exceed 5 million dollars.