Colombia's Bold Move Toward Renewable Energy

Colombia is organizing an electricity generation auction to prevent future power shortages. This move is critical as delays in renewable energy projects threaten potential blackouts. The government plans to add 6 gigawatts of clean energy to the national grid by August 2026.

The Colombian government is gearing up for an electricity generation auction in response to looming power shortage warnings. Energy associations caution that the nation might face blackouts if wind and solar projects continue to be stalled by environmental licensing and authorization delays.

Speaking at the Colombia Genera conference in Cartagena, Mines and Energy Minister Edwin Palma emphasized the urgency of obtaining substantial volumes of energy, ideally clean and renewable, to avert a crisis similar to those neighboring countries have experienced. The government aims to integrate 6 gigawatts of renewable energy into Colombia's grid by President Gustavo Petro's tenure end in August 2026.

Further specifics of the auction will be disclosed later in the week, as the government focuses on sustainable solutions to bolster its electricity supply.

(With inputs from agencies.)