Argentina has implemented a new scheme for large electricity demands to enter the Wholesale Electricity Market (MEM) . The Energy Secretariat published Resolution SE 264/2026 , creating the Extra-Trend Demands (XDEM) regime, which conditions the incorporation of these projects on the contracting of new energy and power supply.
The main obligation will be to cover at least 80% of the energy actually demanded each month with new eligible XDEM supply . In turn, production projects must back up 100% of their peak demand with new firm capacity, while data centers will have to reach 115% .
The scheme will apply to new demands or expansions that represent an increase of at least 0.5% of the average demand of the MEM (Wholesale Electricity Market) , regardless of whether they are connected via transmission or distribution networks. Based on the current reported reference, this level is equivalent to approximately 80 MW .
The regulation expressly covers computationally intensive infrastructure, such as data centers and activities related to Artificial Intelligence training or inference , as well as production processes such as mining, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), hydrogen and electricity-intensive industries.
In this way, the Ministry of Energy establishes that the growth of this type of consumption must be accompanied by new generation and new firm power , instead of relying exclusively on the supply and reserves available in the system.
Weeks ago, Energía Estratégica had anticipated that the regulations for extra-trend demands to be accompanied by new generation were one of the most advanced schemes within the Secretariat of Energy .
Meanwhile, the Additional Reliability Reserve Service (SerCA) was still being defined, primarily regarding the mechanism that would allow the incorporation of new firm capacity. The publication of Resolution 264/2026 now formalizes the XDEM regime.
The new standard divides these users into two subcategories. On the one hand, the category known as GUMA XDEM-DATA will include consumption intended wholly or partially for intensive computational processing, while GUMA XDEM-PRODUCTION will include energy-intensive production activities.
The difference between the two categories lies primarily in the power requirement. A production operation must demonstrate firm contractual coverage equivalent to at least 100% of its maximum requirement .
For data centers, however, an additional margin of 15% is incorporated, so they must have firm power equivalent to 115% of their maximum demand .
The Secretariat bases this differential treatment on the profile of data centers, characterized by high continuity of consumption, load density and operational sensitivity, factors that can increase the reserve and stability requirements of the Argentine Interconnection System (SADI).
The energy requirement will also be measured periodically. Each GUMA-XDEM will have to demonstrate monthly that at least 80% of the electricity actually consumed is backed by eligible contracts.
The offer used to fulfill this obligation must be new. For the purposes of this regime, a new offer will be considered to be one whose commercial authorization occurs after the submission of the XDEM incorporation application to the Ministry of Energy.
This means that a business cannot justify compliance simply by contracting existing capacity under any modality, but rather the new consumption must be associated with additional additions of supply within the conditions established by the regulations.
For energy coverage , renewable, thermal, hydroelectric and nuclear sources may be used, in addition to other technologies that the implementing authority may recognize in the future.
In terms of firm power, the regulation allows thermal power plants, hydroelectric facilities, nuclear plants and storage systems with a minimum duration of six hours , in addition to new solutions that are recognized as a firm contribution to the system.
The scheme also allows for self-generation . In such cases, projects must report the installed capacity, the load incorporation schedule, the characteristics of the associated generation, and the ability to modulate its withdrawal from the grid.
Another key requirement will be the Special Supply Plan (PEA) . Each GUMA-XDEM will have to submit it to the Ministry of Energy for its first five years of operation , along with the corresponding application.
The document must include the contracting commitments, the location of the new energy and power supply, the implementation schedules, and the mechanisms planned to guarantee backup.
The addition of the new demand must not negatively impact the quality of service, operational safety, stability, or supply capacity of the SADI (Argentine Interconnected System). Furthermore, the request must demonstrate that the consumption can be met without requiring forced generation dispatch.
The system allows for some flexibility in areas with structural limitations. When a new demand is located in an exporting area of the SADI (Argentine Interconnected System) with transmission restrictions, the Energy Secretariat may exceptionally authorize a reduction in the required power percentage, provided there is a substantiated technical report from the Dispatch Operator.
However, when the feasibility of the connection depends on an expansion of the transport system, access may be conditional upon the entry into commercial operation of that work .
If, prior to its activation, it is technically possible to admit the new consumption in whole or in part, the operator may set withdrawal limits, operational restrictions, and transitional conditions.
The Secretariat also established a financial mechanism to prevent projects from reserving capacity without completing their investments. Developments that receive such an allocation will be required to pay $2,500 per MW per quarter from the reservation date until they commit to becoming operational.
If they meet the schedule, they will receive an 80% refund of what they have paid . In case of delay, an automatic extension of up to eight quarters will begin, during which the charge will increase to $5,000 per MW per quarter .
If the project is accepted during that extension period, it will be able to recover 40% of the amounts paid at face value . If it is not, it will lose both the reserved capacity and the accumulated amounts.
Penalties for lack of system coverage and priority
The new regulations also penalize those who do not meet the minimum contracting levels. The portion of energy not backed up can be purchased temporarily on the Spot Market, although at a higher cost.
For XDEM-DATA , the uncovered energy will be credited at the value corresponding to the period with a 100% increase. For XDEM-PRODUCTION , the additional charge will be 50% .
Furthermore, electricity without contractual backing will not have a guarantee of supply in the event of an energy emergency .
The design aims to prevent a new large-scale demand from shifting a substantial part of its needs to the Spot Market or using reserve resources originally available for already connected consumers.
The resolution also stipulates that applications for incorporation or access that are already in process must be adapted to the new regime within 60 days , even when their holders are not yet agents of the MEM.
With the publication of Resolution 264/2026, Argentina thus establishes three central references for the entry of large electricity consumption: 80% contractual coverage with new energy offer, 100% firm power for productive projects and 115% for data centers .
The new framework directly links the development of future energy-intensive investments with the expansion of supply and system support, and makes electricity supply a structural condition for data center, mining, hydrogen, LNG and other large-scale projects.