Colombia - Clean Energy for a Green Country

Following a privatization program launched in the 1990s, almost 50% of the country’s hydro capacity is now privately owned. The technically feasible hydro generation potential is about 200 TWh/year, with some 140 TWh of hydro potential deemed economically feasible.

ANDRITZ HYDRO in Colombia

ANDRITZ HYDRO has been active in Colombia for more than a century – the first project was HPP Campalegre built in 1913. In 2001 ANDRITZ HYDRO established a permanent office in the capital Bogotá for better market access and project management. In total, ANDRITZ HYDRO has delivered or rehabilitated  167 units with a total output of 8,470 MW, representing 77% of the country’s total installed hydro capacity.

ANDRITZ HYDRO has been involved in all the major hydroelectric projects developed in Colombia to date, including HPP San Carlos (1,240 MW), HPP Guavio (1,150 MW), HPP Chivor (1,074 MW), HPP Sogamoso (820 MW), HPP Gua­tape (560 MW), HPP La Miel (405 MW), and HPP Alto Anchicaya (353 MW).

HPP Luzma I and Luzma II:

ANDRITZ HYDRO received an order for the supply of electro-mechanical equipment for the cascading hydropower plants Luzma I and Luzma II, one of the major Compact Hydro contracts in the region. Located near Amalfi, in the northeast of the Department of Antioquia in Colombia, the project is developed by the local special purpose company Generadora LUZMA, owned by the construction company SP INGENIEROS, and uses the water resources of the Riachon River. For each plant the scope of ANDRITZ HYDRO’s supply includes: two vertical, five-jet Pelton turbines of 11.4 MW each, generators, spherical valves, energy dissipation system, control and SCADA system, MV switchgear, electrical and mechanical auxiliaries, power transformer, transport, erection, and commissioning. Completion of the order is scheduled for the first half of 2017.

HPP Prado Tolima:

Empresa de Ener­gía del Pacífico S.A. E.S.P. (EPSA), part of the CELSIA Group, awarded ANDRITZ HYDRO a contract for the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of three Francis runners at Prado Tolima hydropower plant. Located in the depertment of Tolima, approximately 200 km from Bogotá, the hydropower plant has a total installed capacity of 55.5 MW, consisting of three vertical 16.5 MW units and one horizontal 6 MW unit. As a result of the modernization the output of each unit will be increased from 16.5 MW to 18 MW, meaning an improvement of around 9%. The first unit was commissioned in April 2016; the last one is scheduled for September 2016.

HPP Carlos Lleras Restrepo:

In October 2015, ANDRITZ HYDRO received the Preliminary Acceptance Certificate (PAC) for the successful completion and commissioning of the new Carlos Lleras Restrepo hydropower plant. The plant is located on the Porce river, in the Department of Antioquia, downstream from the city of Medellín and has an installed capacity of 80 MW.

ANDRITZ HYDRO was awarded the contract by HIDROELÉCTRICA DEL ALTO PORCE S.A.S. E.S.P for the supply of the complete electro­ and hydro­mechanical "from water-to-wire" equipment. The contractual scope of supply comprised two 39.7 MW Francis turbines and two generators, as well as the balance of plant equipment for the hydropower plant. This included the main inlet valves, the intake gates regulating the water flow at the entrance of the 5.9 km tunnel feeding the power plant, radial gates, stoplogs, trashrakes and transformers, GIS, control and protection devices, batteries, emergency generator, and mechanical auxiliary systems.

Colombia is a country with a huge hydropower potential. ANDRITZ HYDRO has a strong presence in this important market and the technological know-how to further contribute significantly to the exploitation of this valuable resource in the coming years.

COLOMBIA FACTS

Source: Hydropower & Dams World Atlas 2015 and the World Bank