Colombia’s Colectora transmission project

Colombia

The Colectora transmission project may be the most important energy development seen in Colombia in recent years. It stands as a pillar of the country's energy transition.

The project will connect La Guajira’s new renewable energy projects, totalling 1.05 GW of renewable energy, with the rest of the country. Without it, renewable energy projects in La Guajira cannot advance or be connected to the national grid.

SPECIFICATIONS: The project consists of a 500-kV line that passes through 14 municipalities in the departments of La Guajira and Cesar. The line is 475 kilometres long and divided into two sections. The northern section is 228 kilometres long and connects the Colectora 500-kV substation with the Cuestecitas 500-kV substation. The southern section is 247 kilometres long and connects the Cuestecitas 500-kV station with the La Loma 500-kV substation in Cesar. The line will require the building of 1,029 towers.

KEY PLAYERS: Grupo Energía Bogotá is the main developer, while its subsidiary Enlaza will be the operator

Read our latest interview with Grupo Energía Bogotá here.

INVESTMENT: Capital expenditure in the Colectora project has been around USD 200 million. Grupo Energía Bogotá has also invested over USD 20 million in community compensation and rights of way to build the line.

TIMELINE: Grupo Energía Bogotá had initially set a deadline of November 2022 to complete the project, but the company requested an extension from the Ministry of Mines and Energy due to delays resulting from its 235 consultations with local communities. In mid-2024, the line’s northern Colectora-Cuestecitas section received approval from the National Environmental Licensing Authority for its construction and commissioning. While this section will be completed in 2026-2027, the southern Cuestecitas-La Loma section will be finished by mid-2025.

IMPACT: The power coming from the renewables projects in La Guajira, which require the Colectora transmission line to integrate into the National Interconnection System, will be able to cover 10% of the country’s energy demand.

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