Colombia rules out the risk of a power blackout, despite the El Nino phenomenon, which is now in its fifth month of acute phase in the country. The lack of rainfall has caused a pronounced decrease in water reserves in Colombian reservoirs, so the operator XM, the company in charge of operating the National Interconnected System (SIN), has called for action to avoid the need for electricity rationing.
For its part, the government has explained through Andres Camacho, the Minister of Mines and Energy, that a “key phase, the recovery of reservoirs”, is expected to begin this April, and has ruled out the risk of electrical failures in the short or medium term.
Practically, 70% of Colombia’s electricity is generated by hydroelectric power plants. Water, therefore, is an essential element to guarantee the supply of vital energy for daily activities. The country has 28 centrally-dispatched hydroelectric plants, that is, with a capacity greater than 20 MW, and 115 non-centrally-dispatched plants. In the first group, the net capacity amounts to 10,974 MW, while in the second group it reaches 860.57 MW.
Colombia currently has the lowest water reserves in the last twenty years, and XM is asking the authorities to launch a campaign aimed at reducing energy consumption. XM has also asked to cut energy exports to Ecuador and to put the thermal plants to work at maximum capacity.
Increased demand
In parallel to the significant decrease in water reserves, the demand for electricity increased in March by 8.1%, compared to the same month last year.
“At regional level, the reserves are at 49.25% in the Central region, 34.93% in Antioquia, 8.25% in the East, and the remaining percentage in Valle and the Caribbean. At the reservoir level, it is noteworthy that the useful volume of the system’s aggregate reservoir is concentrated in the Penol and Bogota reservoirs, 26.8% and 39.4%, respectively, and some of the country’s main reservoirs are beginning to record historic lows, such as El Penol with 35.93%, Guavio with 5.8%, El Quimbo with 19.45% and Riogrande 2 with 7.37%,” warns XM.
With this outlook, the operator alerts that thermal generation has been at an average of 89 GWh/day in March, while energy exports to Ecuador have increased. “The average exports to Ecuador in March have been 3.77 GWh/day average. On some days in March, exports have been above 5 GWh/day and this situation is expected to continue at least until the second week of April,” the company said.
Waiting for the end of El Nino
This year’s El Nino phenomenon has been one of the most acute and severe. The prolonged drought has facilitated the spread of virulent forest fires, with a very harsh incidence during the last four months, but especially alarming in January.
In addition, water reserves have suffered a significant decline. According to data from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, today these reserves are around 31.61%, which, despite the unusually low capacity, is still almost 5 points above the alarm line for critical values.
For the government, the situation deserves detailed and daily monitoring, without relaxation, but “without risk of supply”. In addition, the arrival of the rainy season presupposes that “we are now entering a key phase, the recovery of the reservoirs”, as Minister Camacho explained.
The public official wanted to highlight the government’s preventive work to guarantee supply, despite the anomalous reality of the reservoirs, avoiding the blackouts that Ecuador experienced in October. “During this period of drought, it is key to highlight the participation and preparation of our thermal power generation park, which we have had available thanks to constant monitoring, preparation, and maintenance, and in turn, the entry of solar power generation that has allowed historic values by reaching 10GWh/day, that is, covering 4.6% of the national demand,” said the minister.
Special preventive measures
Regarding the special measures to counteract the risks of rationing, the head of the Mines and Energy portfolio said that the government had prepared two resolutions: one to guarantee the generation of thermal energy necessary to achieve a recovery path, and another to manage our energy exports to Ecuador.
“To achieve an appropriate and effective recovery of our reservoirs, we require additional measures and the support of all citizens. In this period, it is essential to continue with energy and water-saving measures, making efficient use of our resources.” said Camacho.
