Colombia unveils long-term energy expansion plan

Colombia will expand its installed wind power capacity 200-fold over the next 14 years as the technology outstrips solar as the country's fastest growing energy source, according to a new government report.  

Under its so-called Escenario 8, an outcome that contemplates the completion of both phases of the 2,400MW Hidroituango plant and a carbon tax on thermoelectric generators, wind capacity is seen rising from 18MW in 2020 to 3,722MW in 2034.

The projection forms part of a revised 2020-34 generation and transmission expansion plan, published by energy ministry planning unit UPME. 

Solar power is expected to climb from 33MW to 2,040MW under the same scenario, including 1,431MW from grid scale photovoltaic plants and 609MW from distributed generation.

Source: UPME 

Hydropower, meanwhile, would remain the country's principal electric power source, increasing capacity to 13,522MW from 11,122MW over the period. 

Gas-fired thermoelectric plants would total 4,488MW, up from 3,726MM in 2020, according to the report, while coal-fired capacity would be unchanged at 1,623MW. 

Overall installed capacity is seen jumping more than 9,000MW to 26.900MW.

Escenario 8, considered among the most feasible of the 10 possible scenarios outlined by UPME in the report, predicts the average marginal cost of power generation over the period to be US$55.2/MWh. The entity said the figure was inflated by the inclusion of a US$5/t carbon levy. 

The expansion plan, which also details expected transmission works and demand forecasts, can be seen here, in Spanish.