With Colectora’s environmental license, more than 1,000 MW of wind energy can be connected to the national grid

With the approval of the environmental license for the second section of the Colectora transmission line, At least 1,050 megawatts from seven wind projects to be built in La Guajira will be able to be connected to the national electrical grid.

These wind farms are JK3 (99 megawatts), JK4 (195 megawatts), JK1 (180 megawatts), JK2 (75 megawatts), Kuisa (200 megawatts), Urraichi (100 megawatts) and Ipapure (201 megawatts).

Furthermore, taking into account the 120 kilometers of electrical route that its transmission line shares with the Cuestecitas substation, at least nine other projects totaling 1,274 megawatts, mainly wind, would also benefit.

These are Guajira I (20 megawatts), Acacias 2 (80 megawatts), WESP 01 (12 megawatts), Windpeshi (200 megawatts), Camelias (250 megawatts), Beta (280 megawatts), Alpha (212 megawatts), Elipse (200 megawatts) and Lyra (19.9 megawatts).

The Collectora project represents 6 percent
of the national installed capacity

“It’s not just about most important project to connect wind generation in the north of the country to the grid, but also one of the strategic assets for the energy transition that will allow us to advance in the pillar of gradualness, sovereignty and reliability,” said Adrián Correa, director of Upme.

The Colectora transmission line is a project that seeks to strengthen the electric energy service in the northern part of the country. It will have 475 kilometers that will pass through 10 municipalities in La Guajira and four in Cesar.

“The Colectora project represents 6 percent of the national installed capacity and 9.6 percent of the country’s maximum demand at the time of its start-up, which is projected in 2026, thus contributing to the strengthening of the national transmission system,” highlighted Fredy Zuleta, General Manager of Enlaza, a GEB subsidiary. .

This achievement is the result of the permanent work of a team of professionals

Due to its great magnitude, Colectora is divided into two sections. The first is Cuestecitas-La Loma of 247 kilometers and its construction began in July 2023 after receiving the environmental license from Anla.

The second section is Colectora-Cuestecitas of 228 kilometers, which received the environmental license on June 12. Therefore, Grupo Energía Bogotá (GEB) hopes to begin construction in the coming weeks.

“This achievement is the result of the permanent work of a team of professionals who at Enlaza had to face challenges such as the pandemic, successfully manage the processes of 223 prior consultations with communities and the subtraction of the Regional Integrated Management District of the Lower Basin of the Ranchería River” , commented Fredy Zuleta.

Due to the great potential for wind and solar energy in La Guajira, in total Upme has approved 20 projects totaling 2,465 megawatts, of which, 17 are wind and three are solar, which will also benefit from Colectora.

“We hope, with the approval of this license and the subsequent entry into operation of the transmission project, to continue incorporating more renewable megabytes into the network, making our more robust, diversified and reliable energy matrix“said the director of Upme.