Panama and Colombia resume the energy route of Latin America

The following is a machine translation of a National Energy Secretariat release

Panama and Colombia have decided to resume the binational electrical interconnection project, a fundamental step towards energy integration in Latin America.

Within the framework of the 9th Energy Week of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), the Minister of Energy and Mines of Colombia, Omar Andrés Camacho, and the Secretary of Energy of Panama, Juan Manuel Urriola, agreed to hold a binational meeting in December that will bring together key entities to reactivate this strategic connection and define a concrete action plan.

This is a binational project that will involve the Ministries of Energy, Foreign Affairs and Environment of both countries, as well as the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP) in Panama and the National Companies responsible for its execution: ETESA for Panama and ISA for Colombia.

The collaboration between these entities and organizations seeks to ensure a coordinated development of interconnection, establishing the regulatory and environmental framework necessary to promote energy connection in the region, with a view to making it a model of cooperation and sustainability.

The interconnection represents a decisive opportunity to strengthen the Panamanian and Colombian energy markets, allowing both countries greater security of supply and facilitating energy exchange in both directions.

This project, which faced delays for years, is now being resumed with the aim of taking advantage of a shared infrastructure and moving towards a more sustainable and diversified energy matrix.

Interconnection not only promises bilateral benefits, but is a significant step towards an interconnected energy market in Latin America. With an infrastructure that can respond to fluctuations in demand and emergencies, the region will be able to optimize its energy resources, reducing its dependence on fossil fuels and moving towards sustainability commitments.

The relaunch of this project also responds to a strategic vision shared by Presidents Gustavo Petro and José Raúl Mulino, who discussed the importance of this interconnection as a pillar for energy cooperation between their nations during Mulino's inauguration.

With the support of OLADE and the commitment of both governments, the Interconnection between Panama and Colombia not only seeks to improve the energy infrastructure of each country, but also to consolidate a vision of integration that strengthens development and energy stability in Latin America.