Although energy rationing alerts are issued by the National Dispatch Center, the president of Grupo Energía Bogotá (GEB), Juan Ricardo Ortega, establishes that there is a vulnerability in the system that could put at risk the supply of electricity in Bogotaas revealed by the former Vice Minister of Energy, Belizza Ruiz, in an interview with EL TIEMPO.
Meanwhile, Enel Colombia assured that it has been identified that, in the medium term, there could be possible risks of neglecting the demand for electricity in the eastern area of the region, due to delays in the start-up of expansion projects, mainly , in the North Sabana of Bogotá.
(Also read: «There is a risk of a blackout in Bogotá,» warns former Vice Minister Belizza Ruiz)
This risk is due to the fact that GEB has not been able to complete the construction of two key projects for the transport of energy to the capital of the country: Chivor II-Norte and Sogamoso.
The first was awarded in 2010, but the differences with the neighboring communities, which are the product of the misinformation on social media -according to the president of GEB- led to the construction of the North substation being moved out of the municipality of Gachancipá.
The other project is Sogamoso -awarded in 2013- which includes 383 kilometers of transmission lines and crosses 37 municipalities of Santander, Boyacá and Cundinamarca.
Unfortunately, the private interest ends up blocking the general interest.
«These two lines are very delayed as a result of people who think that blocking the transmission is strategic to protect the view of your farm or the value of your land. Unfortunately, the particular interest ends up blocking the general interest”, said Juan Ricardo Ortega.
To date, the company has managed to build a significant number of towers, but very sensitive parts such as the entrance to Bogotá are still missing, as well as the construction of nine additional towers to make a detour because none can be seen from the Bogotá river to not to disturb the landscape of the Salto del Tequendama.
Initially, these lines should come into operation about five years ago and if they are not working between 2025 and 2026, Bogotá could have supply problems due to a failure in the plants that supply the city because there would be no way to bring energy from other areas of the country.
This vulnerability will increase once the Western Metro or RegioTram comes into operation, since it represents an increase in energy demand of up to 15 percent. Currently, Bogota’s consumption is 25 percent of the country’s total, which is 6,450 gigawatt hours.
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This creates additional «stress» because the current generation of Enel Colombia will not be enough in the future and energy will have to be brought in from other regions of the country. For this reason, it is necessary to have access to the energy generated by the Chivor and Sogamoso hydroelectric plants, and for this, these two transmission lines are required.
«The non-commissioning of the electrical infrastructure projects that are required, can jeopardize power distribution to residential and industrial customers that the company serves in that area. For this reason, mitigation alternatives have been presented that could be executed in the short term due to the delay of the projects”, suggested Enel Colombia.
(Also read: Belizza Ruiz on Irene Vélez: «I would like a different person in Minminas»)
The mayoress of Bogotá, Claudia López, highlighted the seriousness of the warning issued by the former Vice Minister of Energy for the «changes in policies and delays in the execution of national projects» and asked the Ministry of Mines and Energy «clarifications on risks of shortages or blackouts».
However, the ministry has remained silent and has not yet published any pronouncement on this situation.
The GEB has also not been able to make much progress with a project called Refuerzo Suroccidental, which passes through Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda and Valle del Cauca, due to the opposition expressed by a community leader from the municipality of Ginebra, «despite the fact that the layout in the way that is technically feasible.” The line should be in operation by the end of 2024.
In order to carry out these transmission projects, the president of GEB assured that it is key «that communities stop block, that there is a capacity for dialogue and a clarity that the general interest must prevail. We have paid the compensation and we are willing to sit down and listen.»
