Where would AI data centers go in Vaca Muerta?

Power for a data center in Vaca Muerta: the missing figure

The figure that weighs most in the decision is the electric capacity available at each node, which CAMMESA and the transmission companies hold but which is still to be published as a layer. The closest public document is CAMMESA's single-line diagram by area and voltage for Patagonia, in its 04/12/2025 version, which shows how substations and lines connect, without the free MW at each one.

As a historical reference, according to Diario Río Negro (10/06/2022, old data), an analysis of CAMMESA's electric areas described Patagonia as having "zero remaining capacity" for new renewable generation at high voltage. Works have been added and demand has changed since then, so read it as context and ask for the updated figure for each node.

That is where Vaca Muerta's edge comes from: generating on site with gas. It is Pampa's approach at Loma de la Lata, according to Agendar Web (05/10/2026), with the plant's 780 MW available for data centers. It is also the global trend: according to JLL (2026), more and more operators fund their own generation to avoid connection waits.

The map shows the planned power works we know of, each with its source: the Centenario Oeste substation and its 500 kV connection for Vaca Muerta (EPEN, Public Tender 27/2026, 31/08/2026), the closing of the 132 kV Northern Ring between Las Lajas and Chos Malal (UPEFE, tendered, 08/2026), the 500 kV Southern Corridor lines from Choele Choel (under study, environmental assessment of 07/2026) and the Agua del Cajón I and II solar park (announced, 10/02/2026). For gas, TGS's Perito Moreno pipeline expansion (under construction, Run Run Energético, 03/10/2026) and the dedicated Argentina LNG pipeline (under study, EIA of 01/10/2026). When a work has a reference location rather than an official route, the map says so.

Water and climate in Patagonia for a data center

Water depends mainly on the cooling system. According to LA NACION (31/03/2026), using US estimates, mega data centers need 7.1 m³ of water per MWh consumed, counting direct use and the indirect use of power generation: more than 2.5 million liters a year per megawatt. That figure applies to evaporative cooling designs; closed loops and direct-to-chip cooling sharply cut direct use. So actual consumption ranges from almost zero to 7.1 m³/MWh depending on the design.

The same article reports the public criticism: the region's rivers have been recording historically low flows and the oil industry already uses water from the basin. Any project in the area will have to show its water balance with data.

The map shows the IGN perennial rivers (Limay, Neuquén, Negro and Colorado), INTA irrigation canals and Neuquén's aqueducts. Water rights and concessions are not yet in a public layer we can add.

On climate, the province highlights the cold and dry air, according to Neuquén Informa (11/11/2025). Temperature series from Argentina's National Weather Service (SMN) are being prepared for the report; until then, the map shows INTA's annual rainfall and water balance, and the earthquakes recorded by INPRES.

Permits and incentives: RIGI and Super RIGI for data centers

The RIGI (Large Investment Incentive Regime) covers projects from USD 200 million, according to Infobae (25/06/2026). According to Escenario Mundial (10/10/2025), Stargate Argentina was presented under that regime.

The Super RIGI is a new regime for investments above USD 1 billion in "industries of the future", data centers included. According to Infobae (25/06/2026), the Chamber of Deputies passed it 130 to 106, with benefits such as a 15 % income tax rate, zero import and export tariffs and 30 years of stability, and sent it to the Senate. According to Diario Crónica (07/09/2026), it is the first time technology infrastructure enters a regime like this.

Beyond the national regime, each project needs its provincial environmental permit, power feasibility from EPEN or the transmission company, and the town's approval. According to LA NACION (31/03/2026), specialists warn that the incentive framework can be regressive on environmental control and water use, a point worth settling early with site data.

How to use SuperficiarIA to find land for a data center

Open the map with the power and gas layers and tap any parcel in Neuquén or Río Negro: the scan shows its area, how far the nearest substation, 132 kV line, gas pipeline and road are, and whether it falls inside an industrial park.

For a full analysis, tap a parcel on the map and choose the AI data center lens, or open the parcel report with the data center purpose. It arranges everything on this page (power, gas, fiber, water, climate, ground and permits) into an explained score from 0 to 100, each factor with its source and date, and marks as estimated whatever is estimated.

The planned works show which lines, substations and pipelines are coming, and the land for companies page gathers what a company needs to set up in Vaca Muerta.

With your free account you see the candidate sites: the 40 parcels in Neuquén and Río Negro that score best for a data center, 50 ha or more and within 15 km of a 132 kV substation and a trunk gas pipeline. If a parcel interests you, we walk you through the transaction.