Generation Business | Enel Colombia

Generation of Energy that Transforms the World

Today it would be impossible to imagine life without electricity, because it serves a dual purpose: it improves the quality of life of people and is an essential element for the social and economic development of a nation. Within this framework, Enel Colombia is a company known for its commitment to sustainable development, but is also recognized for its efficiency and transparency in its management.

In addition, it has been characterized as a solid, reliable and environmentally friendly energy operator.

Our company, which has a current market share of 22%, is a leader in the Colombian energy sector and the second most important corporation in the country in terms of generation. This as a result of involving technological development to provide greater effectiveness in the processes, the creation of research spaces and promoting innovation as a fundamental part in sustained growth, to potentialize new business opportunities.

Our main objective at Enel Colombia is to offer integral energy solutions, boosting the market and expanding the possibilities for end users, differentiated in three important markets:

Wholesale Market: Large-block energy purchase and sale operations between generators and marketers.
Non-regulated Market: Comprises those end customers that consume more than 55 Mwh per month or that have more than 0.1 MW.
Energy Exchange Market: Government information system where the generation deficit and surplus are traded daily, because they cannot be stored.

Our Operation

Enel Colombia has twelve hydraulic and two thermal generation plants, in different locations throughout the country. During 2017, net energy generation reached 14,765 Gwh, an increase of 1.4% over 2016.

Likewise, since 2015, four plants achieved a production record since they starte operations:

The Guavio hydroelectric plant generated 6,603 Gwh of additional generation compared to the peak reached in 2012.
Termozipa thermal power plant generated 1,150 Gwh, which represents 15.9% of additional generation from its peak in 1997.
The Cartagena thermal power plant generated 362 Gwh, 50.8% of additional generation compared to the level reached in 2010. The Guavio Hydroelectric Plant: two high-impact projects started in 2016 were completed. The comissioning of Guavio Menor and the maintenance of unit 5 which was commissioned 25 years ago.
El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant: generated 2,191 GWh, the largest since its commissioning.

Quimbo, More Energy for the Country

In November 2015, after five years of construction, the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant went into operation delivering approximately 400MW to the Colombian electricity system and with the capacity to contribute 4% of the national demand. With this installed capacity, Enel Colombia has a net installed capacity of 3,501MW, 21% of the country's capacity (15,909MW), which ratifies it in second place among the country’s generating agents.

“The construction of El Quimbo is the largest project undertaken in recent years by the Enel Group in Latin America, with an investment of more than $ 1.2 billion dollars, which not only confirms our confidence in Colombia, but also it is an asset that allows more energy to be delivered to the country”

– Lucio Rubio, Enel Colombia General Director.

The Project for the construction of the El Quimbo hydroelectric plant was awarded in March 2008, in May 2009 it obtained its environmental licensing, and in November 2010, the construction of civil works began.

This mega project includes a reservoir of 8,250 hectares of extension, 55 kilometers long, a storage capacity of 3,200 cubic hectometers, which makes it one of the largest reservoirs in the country, with a dam 151 meters high, an auxiliary dike 66 meters high and a spillway with four gates that allows controlling the reservoir level.

The construction of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant involved significant investments in infrastructure, the environment and the communities.

In infrastructure, about COP$ 523,000 million were invested in the department and in the municipalities of the area of influence, for a new, more modern and efficient infrastructure.
Socially, the investments exceeded COP$ 358,000 million, directly benefiting the development of the communities and the agricultural development of the region.
In the environmental aspect, more than $ 103,300 million were invested mainly in the acquisition of 11,079 hectares for the most important ecological restoration plan that has been carried out in Colombia in tropical dry forest.
Additionally, important investments of over $ 17,200 million were made in archeology, in order to recover 50,000 ceramic fragments and more than 100 archaeological pieces.