Enel Colombia sounds energy transition alert

Enel Colombia has called for improved coordination in prior consultation processes as the company seeks to accelerate its 1,000MW renewables buildout

The comments came as Enel Colombia reported first quarter investments of 500bn pesos (US$107mn), with a focus on solar developments on the Caribbean coast. 

Operational highlights included the start of construction at the 487MW Guayepo and 132MW Fundación photovoltaic plants, the latter of which has reached 40% completion. 

"Although the development of these projects is part of the more than 1,000MW that we are building, coordination with the authorities and communities will be very important to allow the energy transition to materialize," CEO Lucio Rubio said.

In a report published last month, renewable power association SER revealed 65% of the country's renewable energy projects were running behind schedule. It said bottlenecks were being caused, in large part, by permitting issues, social conflicts and protracted prior consultation requirements.

Among the biggest concerns are ongoing delays to Grupo Energía Bogotá’s (GEB) Colectora transmission link, which will serve a series of wind farms in La Guajira on Colombia's northern coast. 

Work on the 500kV connection has been hampered by the need for GEB to consult with more than 200 communities on an individual basis. 

Enel has at least two projects affected by the slow pace of Colectora's development: the 200MW Kuisa wind farm and the 205MW Windpeshi wind complex, both of which are currently under construction in La Guajira. 

The firm's Colombian generation portfolio also includes the 100MW Urraichi-Chemesky wind farm and the 100MW Nabusimake solar park. 

In addition to power generation, the company is also investing in network expansion and upgrade works in Bogotá and Cundinamarca departments. 

"It is expected that in the second half the company will continue advancing in the development of [energy] projects that leverage not only the transformation of the energy matrix but also enable different uses of electrical energy to support the electrification of the economy and sustainable development," Rubio added.