Colombia awards US$200mn contract for Caribbean grid links

A consortium of four local developers has been awarded a 700bn-peso (US$207mn) contract for a raft of power transmission projects on Colombia's Caribbean coast. 

Consorcio Energía de Colombia (CEC) will be responsible for the design, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance works associated with substations and high voltage grid connections, energy officials said. 

CEC comprises Ortiz Construcciones y Proyectos, Gesinso Power & Energy Engineering, Emisa Trading and Ingenierías y Servicios.

The group beat off a rival bid from Brazil's Consorcio Estadio, a joint venture between CYMI Construções e Participações and SETEC Soluções Energéticas de Transmissão e Controle.

Under the terms of the contract, CEC will upgrade the Termoflores, Las Flores, Centro, Oasis, Unión and Tebsa substations in Atlántico department. It will also build two new substations – Magdalena and Estadio – and associated 110kV power lines. 

The announcement follows a previously failed attempt to secure investors for the projects. 

"These works will contribute to improving the quality and reliability of electricity services on the Caribbean coast," said Ricardo Ramírez, the head of energy ministry planning unit UPME.

He added that 95% of the government's Plan5Caribe transmission expansion program has now been completed 

More information about the projects can be seen here.