- With an investment of USD 147 million, ISA put into operation the Cuestecitas-Copey-Fundación Interconnection at 500 and 220 kV, a key work to evacuate the renewable energy generated in La Guajira to the rest of the country and strengthen the National Transmission System.
- 270 kilometers of transmission lines and the expansion of three substations strengthen the electric grid in the north of the country.
- New Nueva Cuestecitas (500 kV GIS) Substation: first in the region with encapsulated technology, which reduces environmental impact and increases electrical reliability.
- Thus, ISA reaffirms its leadership in the energy transition, with technical innovation, sustainability, and social commitment.
ISA, through its company INTERCOLOMBIA, delivered to the country the Cuestecitas – Copey – Fundación interconnection at 500 and 220 kV, a key infrastructure for the energy transition. With this project, this department is connected for the first time to a voltage level of 500 thousand volts (high voltage), marking a milestone in the electrical development of the region. The handover ceremony took place in the municipality of Albania, in La Guajira, with the participation of the Minister of Mines and Energy, Edwin Palma; the Acting Minister of Environment, Irene Velez; authorities, communities, and strategic allies.
This project, awarded to ISA by the National Government, through the Mining-Energy Planning Unit (UPME), an entity attached to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, becomes the path to evacuate the electric power that will be generated in La Guajira from renewable sources, which represents greater availability for the country and improves the reliability of the service in the Colombian Caribbean.
The works included the assembly of 270 kilometers of lines, the expansion of the Fundacion, Copey, and Cuestecitas substations; as well as the construction of the Nueva Cuestecitas substation at 500 thousand volts, the first at this voltage level with encapsulated technology in La Guajira.
Commitment to the territory
ISA and INTERCOLOMBIA allocated COP 13 billion in 71 Community Benefit projects to improve social infrastructure, access to utilities and productive opportunities. With ethnic communities, 18 sociocultural compensation agreements were arranged through Prior Consultation, guaranteeing ongoing dialogue and intercultural respect.
In environmental matters, COP 54 billion was invested in mitigation and biotic compensation in 900 hectares of strategic ecosystems. Likewise, the Preventive Archeology Program allowed for the recovery of cultural materials such as bone and ceramic remains, of high patrimonial value in the departments of La Guajira, Cesar, and Magdalena.
From its design the project integrated a vision of comprehensive sustainability:
- Early dialogue with Wayuu communities.
- Respect for sacred sites and cultural heritage.
- Ecological restoration and low-impact GIS technology.
Voices that drive transformation
- “This project fulfills a fundamental step and reflects the commitment of the Government of Change to an energy transformation, which connects the renewable wealth of La Guajira with the rest of the country. With this interconnection, we strengthen the reliability of the national electricity system and move towards cleaner, more equitable energy, serving our people in the Caribbean and all territories. The infrastructure, which is delivered together with ISA, contributes to the just energy transition that we are leading from the Ministry of Mines and Energy,” said the minister, Edwin Palma.
- “Today, we celebrate a historic step in Colombia’s energy transformation: the commissioning of the Cuestecitas–Copey–Fundación interconnection line that will allow clean energy generated in the region to be carried to the center of the country. This Government decided to believe: to believe in the just energy transition, in La Guajira, and in its people. This project, which obtained environmental licensing from ANLA, demonstrates that when one builds with respect and participation, a just and ecological transition is possible. La Guajira is not an obstacle, it is the living example that it can be done,” said Irene Velez Torres, acting minister of Environment and Sustainable Development and general director of ANLA.
- “This interconnection represents much more than an infrastructure project: it is a milestone in the energy transformation of Colombia. We are filled with pride to deliver a project that makes our electrical system more resilient, clean, and just.”
Jorge Andrés Carrillo, CEO of ISA.
- “Every line we connect is an opportunity to bring territories closer and build a more sustainable country. This project demonstrates the power of articulation between communities, authorities, and allies” Carlos Mario Caro, CEO of INTERCOLOMBIA.
In summary
- First connection of La Guajira to 500 thousand volts, which will allow the transport of wind and solar energy from the region to the main consumption centers.
- 270 km of double-circuit transmission lines (500 and 220 kV) reinforce the stability of the national electrical system.
- New Nueva Cuestecitas (500 kV GIS) Substation: state-of-the-art technology that optimizes space, minimizes losses, and reduces the environmental footprint.
- Exemplary environmental and social management, with more than COP 67 billion invested in compensation and community benefit actions.