The Energía Argentina company began the second stage of the Presidente Néstor Kirchner Gas Pipeline (GPNK), which will extend for more than 520 kilometers, between the west of the province of Buenos Aires and the south of Santa Fe, with the call for bids for the supply of pipes. On this occasion, companies interested in participating in the tender must include a financing proposal, the state company stated in a statement, unlike what happened in the so-called Tranche I, which had financing from the national State. The tender will seek to ensure the supply of welded steel tubes 36 inches thick, 12 meters long and weighing about 5,000 kilos each, in specifications similar to those used in Stage I and awarded to the consortium. Techint-Tenaris. For this new stage, it is estimated that more than 43,000 tubes will be necessary, which will require about 8,600 truck trips to the different collection points and the work fronts that the construction is divided into. "In this way, the process that will allow this fundamental work for the energy sovereignty of our country to be carried out begins," Energía Argentina highlighted in an official statement. The president of the state firm, Agustín Gerez, highlighted that “this new challenge, promoted by Sergio Massa, allows us to close the virtuous circle that began with the first stage of this project.” The official added that “with the second stage of the GPNK and with the Reversion of the Northern Gasduct, which will begin operation in April 2024, we are going to save more than US$7.5 billion in energy imports and we will even have exportable balances of gas for more than US$1 billion per year." The second stage of the GPNK will extend from Salliqueló in the south of the province of Buenos Aires to the Santa Fe town of San Jerónimo, with a total extension of 524 kilometers.