Colombia's ISA eyeing distributed generation

Distributed generation is among several new business segments on the radar of Interconexión Eléctrica (ISA), according to CEO Jorge Carrillo. 

The company is discussing a plan to expand its energy project portfolio beyond power transmission and the results are expected to be made public within weeks.

"There is an intention to participate in new energy businesses," Carrillo, who assumed ISA's leadership in August, said during the company's third quarter earnings call. 

"One example is distributed energy solutions. We are currently taking decisions about the businesses that we want to be a part of. When the discussions conclude, we'll be able to announce them. We hope to be able to do that by the end of the year."

According to ISA's results presentation, power transmission accounted for 92% of the company's capital expenditure in Q3, with the remainder going to road projects. 

Some 55% of the firm's 1.1tn-peso (US$249mn) Q3 capex went to Brazil while Colombia received 25%, Chile 14% and Peru 6%. 

ISA said it has 36 projects under construction, including 5,807km of transmission lines and 296km of new roads. Expected annual revenue from the developments is expected to total more than US$400mn.

ISA, which is majority owned by Colombian state-run energy company Ecopetrol, reported Q3 net income of US$891mn, up 74% on the same period last year.