a program for colombian public...
TRANSCRIPT
RESTRICTEDRETURN TO REPORTS DESK REPORT NO Z-6
WITHfN - fJRCULATING (OPY -- ANNEX I
ONE WEEK TO BE RETURNED TO ARCHI1S DtmON
A PROGRAM
FOR COLOMBIAN PUBLIC INVESTMENT
AND EXTERNAL BORROWING
Annex I A PROGRAM OF ELECTRIC POWER DEVELOPMENT
FOR COLOMBIA
INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
Washington DC
February 1956
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T~ble of Contents
I Introduction 1
A The Power Situation in Colombia 1 B Existing Proposals 2 c The International Iviissions Approach 3 D ileconrnended National Power Corrunission 3
II The National Governments Program 4
Ao Group I Projects 5 B Group Projects 11 C Group III Pro~ects 30
III Summary of Recomnendations 32
I INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this Annex to the lJission s Report is to describe
and assess a program for development of electric power facilities in Colombia
in the next few years This work was greatly facilitated by the existence of
a recently completed National Electrification Plan for Colombia II (N EP)
prepared for the Colombian Government by a Technical Nission composed of
Electricite de France and Gibbs and Iiill Inc bull
A The Power Situation in Colombia
Colombia is well endowed Ii th energy resources High plateaus
deep valleys and abundant rainfall combine to produce many fine hydro power
sites There are also abundant coal resources and important supplies of
petroleum Many excellent hydro sites are located near existing load centers
Furthermore many of these are capable of being developed to produce relashy
tively firm power by the construction of large storage reservoirs to suppleshy
ment low periods of stream flow The rational planning of the best use of
these resources is hindered however by the lack of basic information on
stream flow and geology and hence progra~s of construction are limited by
the lag in necessary engineering studies
In many localities thermal plants are needed to firm up hydro
systems and in areas where there are no easily developed hydro sites as
the sole source of pOiller The potential development of thermal plants is
limited both by the prevalence of excellent hydro sites and the fact that
large scale mining of coal is developed in only a few areas Generally
petroleum is not competitive vIith coal as a fuel for thermal plants but
Y Report (1+ volumes) Republic of Colombia National Electrification Plan November 1954
- 2 shy
does have important use as fuel for diesel plants for outlying areas and as
an interim source of power for areas that wjll later be supplied by transshy
mission lines from large hydro or thermal installations
Electric power is mainly produced in the principal cities of the
country--mostly from hydro plants Outside the main centers are many small
plants serving towns and villages There is no interconnection between local
systems
The rapid growth in the eCOnOIIlY as a whole has been accompanied by
a very rapid increase in electric power consumption But in spite of this
rapid growth estimated by the Technical Mission to have been at an average
annual rate of 11 between 1935 and 1953 considerably more power could be
sold today with existing rates and methods of distribution than it is posshy
sible to produce The rationing of power in one way or another is prevalent
in many areas
B Existing Proposals
A list of projects being considered by official entities was subshy
mitted to the International Bank Nission for appraisal A discussion of
these projects forms the main body of this report
Estimates of the extent of the present power shortage and of the
probable future demand have been made in the NEP The Technical Mission
incorporated in its report proposals for an exprulsion of existing investshy
ment plans and accompanying institutional changes designed to meet the counshy
try I S power requirements over the next 15 years The Bank mission I s recomshy
mendations accord closely tlitn those of the Technical Ilission on technical
points but call for a rate of expansion wnich in the missions opinion
would be more feasible in the light of limitations on engineering plans and
financial resources
- 3 shy
c The International Bank Ivission I s Appro~
The principles underlying the missions approach may be stated
quite simply The present systems should be extended in the most economical
and efficient manner considering the expected rapid increase in power demand
Wherever possible investment resources administrative organization and techshy
nical skills should be economized by taking advantage of the economies of
large capacity generating plants as well as the economies of interconnected
systems In general effort should be concentrated on increasing capacity
in the main centers and transmitting power from them to smaller communities
with plans for interconnection of systems wherever feasible In cases where
the local demand is small and it is not feasible or economical to build transshy
mission facilities to serve them and for areas which could be connected with
a system in the near future the temporary installation of diesel plants
should be considered preferable to a larger investment in a hydro or a thermal
plant unless such plants are evaluated to be important elements in the system
as a whole and desirable and economic for long run service
D Recommended National Power Commission
The mission considers that in order to carr out an efficient proshy
gram of power development along the general principles just stated it will
be necessary to concentrate responsibility for the nations power development
to a considerably greater degree than before This is not a field that can
be handled effectively on a piecemeal basis IrJhat is needed is a coordinated
plan of development which treats the nations power production in terms of
systems rather than isolated small plants In addition to the efficient
extension of capacity a more efficient use of existing and future capacity
can be achieved through adjustment of rate structures and conditions under
which power is sold
- 4 shy
The mission therefore welcomes the National Governmentts decision
to establish a national power agency along the lines of the recommendations
made on this subject in the National Electrification Plan It is approshy
priate to quote this recommendation as follows
liThe functions of a National Power Commission would include issuance of licenses collection of statistical information preparation of inventory of power resources consideration of possible uses of special large projects coordination of required fuel supply with the mining industry rate studies collection of information useful to the electric power inshydustry standardization of charges and accounting methods and making available to the Government all the elements necessary for formulating a sound policy with regard to electric power supply The subject is broad and worthy of study by a Government committee It
II bull THE NATIUNAL GOVERNHENT S PROGRAM
The tentative program compiled by the Instituto Nacional de
Aprovechamp~~ento de Aguas y Fomento Electrico (Electraguas) includes projects
sponsored by the agencies of the National Government and by Departments and
Ivlunicipalities
As described belmv the program submitted to the mission includes
projects involving a total cost of 828 million pesos and would add about
831000 kw to the present electric generating capacity in the country which
exclusive of private industrial installations amounts to about 390000 kw
Of the total cost foreign exchange in the equivalent of about 440 million
pesos (~176 million) would be required
I NEP Vol 1 Page 39 and Vol 3 Page 72
- 5 shy
The mission found that the projects ~ncluded in the Governments
program could be divided into three groups as follOlfs
GROUP I Projects in advanced stage of engineering and financial
planning
GROUP II Projects on which engineering and financial planning is
in progress and on which if approved iTork could be
started in 1956
GROUP III - Projects which are in an early stage of planning
A Group I Projects
This group is composed of five projects in advanced stage of
engineering and financial planning for expansion of electrical generation
transmission and distribution facilities in the Bogota Cali Manizales and
hedellin areas They are shown below in Table 1 without reference to their
individual priority within the list
- 6 shy
Table No1
Projects Submitted to the lelission -vhich Are in an Advanced stage of Engineering wId Financial Planning
Project Designation
1-1
1-2
1-3
I - 4
1-5
Responsible Type of Project Agency and Capacity
Emp unidas Hydro and de Energia thermal Elec de 161300 kw Bogota
Corporacion Autonoma Regional del Cauca Calima Hydro
120000 kw Transmission lines
Sub-totals 1 - 2
Central Hydro Hidro- 26200 kw electrica de Caldas
Emp de Hydro Energia 78000 kw E1ectrica de Nedellin
Central Hidroelecshytrica del Rio Anchicaya 1ll1chicaya 3rd ooit dydro 20000 kw )
Yumbo ) 1st unit Thermal 12500 kW)
Anchicaya 4th unit Hydro 20000 nmiddotJ
Yumbo ~nd unit Thermal 12500 kw
Sub-Iotal I - 5 (Dgt 000 kvl) Totals 450500 kw
Total Cost Pesos ~l Hillions
1011
615
395 (1010)
408
394
171
58
38 (2(57) 3090
Portion Foreign Exchange
Pesos Hillions
260) ) )
293) (553)
213
184
113
35
28 (17(5) 1800
Construction Period
1954 - 1958
1956 - 1959
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1958
(Now under (construction-shy(to be comshy(pleted in l1958
-7shy
A brief description of each of the above projects follows together
with the comments of the Mission
Project I-I Bogota (Empresas Unidas de Energia Electrica de Bogota)
rThe program includes the 60000 b first stage of a hydro plant at
LJguneta the construction of which was begun in June 1954 a thermal plant of
40000 kw at Zipaquira a hydroelectric plant (SaIto II) of 50000 kw and
additions at the Charquito Plant of 17000 kw The total capacity of the two
latter developments utilizing the flow of the Bogota River is 67000 kw which
is somewhat less than that contemplated for the same period in the NEP The
total cost of these works is estimated at 101 million pesos which includes
074 million pesos (US$ l70 million) for imported equipment and services
It is most important in the whole scheme of the Bogota River development
that additional regulatior be obtained by the creation of new upstream resershy
voirs vdthout which neither SaIto II nor Charquito II can be firmed up for the
full use of their design flow A program for the construction and operation of
such reservoirs should be agreed upon as prudent long-range planning between the
Empresas and the official agencies responsible for flood control irrigation and
urban water supply The matter requires early action on the part of the Empresas
in full cooperation with those agencies
In addition to the program of expansion of generating facilities the
program of the Empresas includes expansion of their transmission lines and disshy
tribution facilities The Bogota system should form the core of the8ventu~l lntershy
connected power grid for the so-called Central and Northeastern power regions
with interconnections to the north to Bucaramanga and Cucuta and to the southwest
to include Ibaque and Honda The part of the project to provide the Laguneta and
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
T~ble of Contents
I Introduction 1
A The Power Situation in Colombia 1 B Existing Proposals 2 c The International Iviissions Approach 3 D ileconrnended National Power Corrunission 3
II The National Governments Program 4
Ao Group I Projects 5 B Group Projects 11 C Group III Pro~ects 30
III Summary of Recomnendations 32
I INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this Annex to the lJission s Report is to describe
and assess a program for development of electric power facilities in Colombia
in the next few years This work was greatly facilitated by the existence of
a recently completed National Electrification Plan for Colombia II (N EP)
prepared for the Colombian Government by a Technical Nission composed of
Electricite de France and Gibbs and Iiill Inc bull
A The Power Situation in Colombia
Colombia is well endowed Ii th energy resources High plateaus
deep valleys and abundant rainfall combine to produce many fine hydro power
sites There are also abundant coal resources and important supplies of
petroleum Many excellent hydro sites are located near existing load centers
Furthermore many of these are capable of being developed to produce relashy
tively firm power by the construction of large storage reservoirs to suppleshy
ment low periods of stream flow The rational planning of the best use of
these resources is hindered however by the lack of basic information on
stream flow and geology and hence progra~s of construction are limited by
the lag in necessary engineering studies
In many localities thermal plants are needed to firm up hydro
systems and in areas where there are no easily developed hydro sites as
the sole source of pOiller The potential development of thermal plants is
limited both by the prevalence of excellent hydro sites and the fact that
large scale mining of coal is developed in only a few areas Generally
petroleum is not competitive vIith coal as a fuel for thermal plants but
Y Report (1+ volumes) Republic of Colombia National Electrification Plan November 1954
- 2 shy
does have important use as fuel for diesel plants for outlying areas and as
an interim source of power for areas that wjll later be supplied by transshy
mission lines from large hydro or thermal installations
Electric power is mainly produced in the principal cities of the
country--mostly from hydro plants Outside the main centers are many small
plants serving towns and villages There is no interconnection between local
systems
The rapid growth in the eCOnOIIlY as a whole has been accompanied by
a very rapid increase in electric power consumption But in spite of this
rapid growth estimated by the Technical Mission to have been at an average
annual rate of 11 between 1935 and 1953 considerably more power could be
sold today with existing rates and methods of distribution than it is posshy
sible to produce The rationing of power in one way or another is prevalent
in many areas
B Existing Proposals
A list of projects being considered by official entities was subshy
mitted to the International Bank Nission for appraisal A discussion of
these projects forms the main body of this report
Estimates of the extent of the present power shortage and of the
probable future demand have been made in the NEP The Technical Mission
incorporated in its report proposals for an exprulsion of existing investshy
ment plans and accompanying institutional changes designed to meet the counshy
try I S power requirements over the next 15 years The Bank mission I s recomshy
mendations accord closely tlitn those of the Technical Ilission on technical
points but call for a rate of expansion wnich in the missions opinion
would be more feasible in the light of limitations on engineering plans and
financial resources
- 3 shy
c The International Bank Ivission I s Appro~
The principles underlying the missions approach may be stated
quite simply The present systems should be extended in the most economical
and efficient manner considering the expected rapid increase in power demand
Wherever possible investment resources administrative organization and techshy
nical skills should be economized by taking advantage of the economies of
large capacity generating plants as well as the economies of interconnected
systems In general effort should be concentrated on increasing capacity
in the main centers and transmitting power from them to smaller communities
with plans for interconnection of systems wherever feasible In cases where
the local demand is small and it is not feasible or economical to build transshy
mission facilities to serve them and for areas which could be connected with
a system in the near future the temporary installation of diesel plants
should be considered preferable to a larger investment in a hydro or a thermal
plant unless such plants are evaluated to be important elements in the system
as a whole and desirable and economic for long run service
D Recommended National Power Commission
The mission considers that in order to carr out an efficient proshy
gram of power development along the general principles just stated it will
be necessary to concentrate responsibility for the nations power development
to a considerably greater degree than before This is not a field that can
be handled effectively on a piecemeal basis IrJhat is needed is a coordinated
plan of development which treats the nations power production in terms of
systems rather than isolated small plants In addition to the efficient
extension of capacity a more efficient use of existing and future capacity
can be achieved through adjustment of rate structures and conditions under
which power is sold
- 4 shy
The mission therefore welcomes the National Governmentts decision
to establish a national power agency along the lines of the recommendations
made on this subject in the National Electrification Plan It is approshy
priate to quote this recommendation as follows
liThe functions of a National Power Commission would include issuance of licenses collection of statistical information preparation of inventory of power resources consideration of possible uses of special large projects coordination of required fuel supply with the mining industry rate studies collection of information useful to the electric power inshydustry standardization of charges and accounting methods and making available to the Government all the elements necessary for formulating a sound policy with regard to electric power supply The subject is broad and worthy of study by a Government committee It
II bull THE NATIUNAL GOVERNHENT S PROGRAM
The tentative program compiled by the Instituto Nacional de
Aprovechamp~~ento de Aguas y Fomento Electrico (Electraguas) includes projects
sponsored by the agencies of the National Government and by Departments and
Ivlunicipalities
As described belmv the program submitted to the mission includes
projects involving a total cost of 828 million pesos and would add about
831000 kw to the present electric generating capacity in the country which
exclusive of private industrial installations amounts to about 390000 kw
Of the total cost foreign exchange in the equivalent of about 440 million
pesos (~176 million) would be required
I NEP Vol 1 Page 39 and Vol 3 Page 72
- 5 shy
The mission found that the projects ~ncluded in the Governments
program could be divided into three groups as follOlfs
GROUP I Projects in advanced stage of engineering and financial
planning
GROUP II Projects on which engineering and financial planning is
in progress and on which if approved iTork could be
started in 1956
GROUP III - Projects which are in an early stage of planning
A Group I Projects
This group is composed of five projects in advanced stage of
engineering and financial planning for expansion of electrical generation
transmission and distribution facilities in the Bogota Cali Manizales and
hedellin areas They are shown below in Table 1 without reference to their
individual priority within the list
- 6 shy
Table No1
Projects Submitted to the lelission -vhich Are in an Advanced stage of Engineering wId Financial Planning
Project Designation
1-1
1-2
1-3
I - 4
1-5
Responsible Type of Project Agency and Capacity
Emp unidas Hydro and de Energia thermal Elec de 161300 kw Bogota
Corporacion Autonoma Regional del Cauca Calima Hydro
120000 kw Transmission lines
Sub-totals 1 - 2
Central Hydro Hidro- 26200 kw electrica de Caldas
Emp de Hydro Energia 78000 kw E1ectrica de Nedellin
Central Hidroelecshytrica del Rio Anchicaya 1ll1chicaya 3rd ooit dydro 20000 kw )
Yumbo ) 1st unit Thermal 12500 kW)
Anchicaya 4th unit Hydro 20000 nmiddotJ
Yumbo ~nd unit Thermal 12500 kw
Sub-Iotal I - 5 (Dgt 000 kvl) Totals 450500 kw
Total Cost Pesos ~l Hillions
1011
615
395 (1010)
408
394
171
58
38 (2(57) 3090
Portion Foreign Exchange
Pesos Hillions
260) ) )
293) (553)
213
184
113
35
28 (17(5) 1800
Construction Period
1954 - 1958
1956 - 1959
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1958
(Now under (construction-shy(to be comshy(pleted in l1958
-7shy
A brief description of each of the above projects follows together
with the comments of the Mission
Project I-I Bogota (Empresas Unidas de Energia Electrica de Bogota)
rThe program includes the 60000 b first stage of a hydro plant at
LJguneta the construction of which was begun in June 1954 a thermal plant of
40000 kw at Zipaquira a hydroelectric plant (SaIto II) of 50000 kw and
additions at the Charquito Plant of 17000 kw The total capacity of the two
latter developments utilizing the flow of the Bogota River is 67000 kw which
is somewhat less than that contemplated for the same period in the NEP The
total cost of these works is estimated at 101 million pesos which includes
074 million pesos (US$ l70 million) for imported equipment and services
It is most important in the whole scheme of the Bogota River development
that additional regulatior be obtained by the creation of new upstream resershy
voirs vdthout which neither SaIto II nor Charquito II can be firmed up for the
full use of their design flow A program for the construction and operation of
such reservoirs should be agreed upon as prudent long-range planning between the
Empresas and the official agencies responsible for flood control irrigation and
urban water supply The matter requires early action on the part of the Empresas
in full cooperation with those agencies
In addition to the program of expansion of generating facilities the
program of the Empresas includes expansion of their transmission lines and disshy
tribution facilities The Bogota system should form the core of the8ventu~l lntershy
connected power grid for the so-called Central and Northeastern power regions
with interconnections to the north to Bucaramanga and Cucuta and to the southwest
to include Ibaque and Honda The part of the project to provide the Laguneta and
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
I INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this Annex to the lJission s Report is to describe
and assess a program for development of electric power facilities in Colombia
in the next few years This work was greatly facilitated by the existence of
a recently completed National Electrification Plan for Colombia II (N EP)
prepared for the Colombian Government by a Technical Nission composed of
Electricite de France and Gibbs and Iiill Inc bull
A The Power Situation in Colombia
Colombia is well endowed Ii th energy resources High plateaus
deep valleys and abundant rainfall combine to produce many fine hydro power
sites There are also abundant coal resources and important supplies of
petroleum Many excellent hydro sites are located near existing load centers
Furthermore many of these are capable of being developed to produce relashy
tively firm power by the construction of large storage reservoirs to suppleshy
ment low periods of stream flow The rational planning of the best use of
these resources is hindered however by the lack of basic information on
stream flow and geology and hence progra~s of construction are limited by
the lag in necessary engineering studies
In many localities thermal plants are needed to firm up hydro
systems and in areas where there are no easily developed hydro sites as
the sole source of pOiller The potential development of thermal plants is
limited both by the prevalence of excellent hydro sites and the fact that
large scale mining of coal is developed in only a few areas Generally
petroleum is not competitive vIith coal as a fuel for thermal plants but
Y Report (1+ volumes) Republic of Colombia National Electrification Plan November 1954
- 2 shy
does have important use as fuel for diesel plants for outlying areas and as
an interim source of power for areas that wjll later be supplied by transshy
mission lines from large hydro or thermal installations
Electric power is mainly produced in the principal cities of the
country--mostly from hydro plants Outside the main centers are many small
plants serving towns and villages There is no interconnection between local
systems
The rapid growth in the eCOnOIIlY as a whole has been accompanied by
a very rapid increase in electric power consumption But in spite of this
rapid growth estimated by the Technical Mission to have been at an average
annual rate of 11 between 1935 and 1953 considerably more power could be
sold today with existing rates and methods of distribution than it is posshy
sible to produce The rationing of power in one way or another is prevalent
in many areas
B Existing Proposals
A list of projects being considered by official entities was subshy
mitted to the International Bank Nission for appraisal A discussion of
these projects forms the main body of this report
Estimates of the extent of the present power shortage and of the
probable future demand have been made in the NEP The Technical Mission
incorporated in its report proposals for an exprulsion of existing investshy
ment plans and accompanying institutional changes designed to meet the counshy
try I S power requirements over the next 15 years The Bank mission I s recomshy
mendations accord closely tlitn those of the Technical Ilission on technical
points but call for a rate of expansion wnich in the missions opinion
would be more feasible in the light of limitations on engineering plans and
financial resources
- 3 shy
c The International Bank Ivission I s Appro~
The principles underlying the missions approach may be stated
quite simply The present systems should be extended in the most economical
and efficient manner considering the expected rapid increase in power demand
Wherever possible investment resources administrative organization and techshy
nical skills should be economized by taking advantage of the economies of
large capacity generating plants as well as the economies of interconnected
systems In general effort should be concentrated on increasing capacity
in the main centers and transmitting power from them to smaller communities
with plans for interconnection of systems wherever feasible In cases where
the local demand is small and it is not feasible or economical to build transshy
mission facilities to serve them and for areas which could be connected with
a system in the near future the temporary installation of diesel plants
should be considered preferable to a larger investment in a hydro or a thermal
plant unless such plants are evaluated to be important elements in the system
as a whole and desirable and economic for long run service
D Recommended National Power Commission
The mission considers that in order to carr out an efficient proshy
gram of power development along the general principles just stated it will
be necessary to concentrate responsibility for the nations power development
to a considerably greater degree than before This is not a field that can
be handled effectively on a piecemeal basis IrJhat is needed is a coordinated
plan of development which treats the nations power production in terms of
systems rather than isolated small plants In addition to the efficient
extension of capacity a more efficient use of existing and future capacity
can be achieved through adjustment of rate structures and conditions under
which power is sold
- 4 shy
The mission therefore welcomes the National Governmentts decision
to establish a national power agency along the lines of the recommendations
made on this subject in the National Electrification Plan It is approshy
priate to quote this recommendation as follows
liThe functions of a National Power Commission would include issuance of licenses collection of statistical information preparation of inventory of power resources consideration of possible uses of special large projects coordination of required fuel supply with the mining industry rate studies collection of information useful to the electric power inshydustry standardization of charges and accounting methods and making available to the Government all the elements necessary for formulating a sound policy with regard to electric power supply The subject is broad and worthy of study by a Government committee It
II bull THE NATIUNAL GOVERNHENT S PROGRAM
The tentative program compiled by the Instituto Nacional de
Aprovechamp~~ento de Aguas y Fomento Electrico (Electraguas) includes projects
sponsored by the agencies of the National Government and by Departments and
Ivlunicipalities
As described belmv the program submitted to the mission includes
projects involving a total cost of 828 million pesos and would add about
831000 kw to the present electric generating capacity in the country which
exclusive of private industrial installations amounts to about 390000 kw
Of the total cost foreign exchange in the equivalent of about 440 million
pesos (~176 million) would be required
I NEP Vol 1 Page 39 and Vol 3 Page 72
- 5 shy
The mission found that the projects ~ncluded in the Governments
program could be divided into three groups as follOlfs
GROUP I Projects in advanced stage of engineering and financial
planning
GROUP II Projects on which engineering and financial planning is
in progress and on which if approved iTork could be
started in 1956
GROUP III - Projects which are in an early stage of planning
A Group I Projects
This group is composed of five projects in advanced stage of
engineering and financial planning for expansion of electrical generation
transmission and distribution facilities in the Bogota Cali Manizales and
hedellin areas They are shown below in Table 1 without reference to their
individual priority within the list
- 6 shy
Table No1
Projects Submitted to the lelission -vhich Are in an Advanced stage of Engineering wId Financial Planning
Project Designation
1-1
1-2
1-3
I - 4
1-5
Responsible Type of Project Agency and Capacity
Emp unidas Hydro and de Energia thermal Elec de 161300 kw Bogota
Corporacion Autonoma Regional del Cauca Calima Hydro
120000 kw Transmission lines
Sub-totals 1 - 2
Central Hydro Hidro- 26200 kw electrica de Caldas
Emp de Hydro Energia 78000 kw E1ectrica de Nedellin
Central Hidroelecshytrica del Rio Anchicaya 1ll1chicaya 3rd ooit dydro 20000 kw )
Yumbo ) 1st unit Thermal 12500 kW)
Anchicaya 4th unit Hydro 20000 nmiddotJ
Yumbo ~nd unit Thermal 12500 kw
Sub-Iotal I - 5 (Dgt 000 kvl) Totals 450500 kw
Total Cost Pesos ~l Hillions
1011
615
395 (1010)
408
394
171
58
38 (2(57) 3090
Portion Foreign Exchange
Pesos Hillions
260) ) )
293) (553)
213
184
113
35
28 (17(5) 1800
Construction Period
1954 - 1958
1956 - 1959
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1958
(Now under (construction-shy(to be comshy(pleted in l1958
-7shy
A brief description of each of the above projects follows together
with the comments of the Mission
Project I-I Bogota (Empresas Unidas de Energia Electrica de Bogota)
rThe program includes the 60000 b first stage of a hydro plant at
LJguneta the construction of which was begun in June 1954 a thermal plant of
40000 kw at Zipaquira a hydroelectric plant (SaIto II) of 50000 kw and
additions at the Charquito Plant of 17000 kw The total capacity of the two
latter developments utilizing the flow of the Bogota River is 67000 kw which
is somewhat less than that contemplated for the same period in the NEP The
total cost of these works is estimated at 101 million pesos which includes
074 million pesos (US$ l70 million) for imported equipment and services
It is most important in the whole scheme of the Bogota River development
that additional regulatior be obtained by the creation of new upstream resershy
voirs vdthout which neither SaIto II nor Charquito II can be firmed up for the
full use of their design flow A program for the construction and operation of
such reservoirs should be agreed upon as prudent long-range planning between the
Empresas and the official agencies responsible for flood control irrigation and
urban water supply The matter requires early action on the part of the Empresas
in full cooperation with those agencies
In addition to the program of expansion of generating facilities the
program of the Empresas includes expansion of their transmission lines and disshy
tribution facilities The Bogota system should form the core of the8ventu~l lntershy
connected power grid for the so-called Central and Northeastern power regions
with interconnections to the north to Bucaramanga and Cucuta and to the southwest
to include Ibaque and Honda The part of the project to provide the Laguneta and
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
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from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 2 shy
does have important use as fuel for diesel plants for outlying areas and as
an interim source of power for areas that wjll later be supplied by transshy
mission lines from large hydro or thermal installations
Electric power is mainly produced in the principal cities of the
country--mostly from hydro plants Outside the main centers are many small
plants serving towns and villages There is no interconnection between local
systems
The rapid growth in the eCOnOIIlY as a whole has been accompanied by
a very rapid increase in electric power consumption But in spite of this
rapid growth estimated by the Technical Mission to have been at an average
annual rate of 11 between 1935 and 1953 considerably more power could be
sold today with existing rates and methods of distribution than it is posshy
sible to produce The rationing of power in one way or another is prevalent
in many areas
B Existing Proposals
A list of projects being considered by official entities was subshy
mitted to the International Bank Nission for appraisal A discussion of
these projects forms the main body of this report
Estimates of the extent of the present power shortage and of the
probable future demand have been made in the NEP The Technical Mission
incorporated in its report proposals for an exprulsion of existing investshy
ment plans and accompanying institutional changes designed to meet the counshy
try I S power requirements over the next 15 years The Bank mission I s recomshy
mendations accord closely tlitn those of the Technical Ilission on technical
points but call for a rate of expansion wnich in the missions opinion
would be more feasible in the light of limitations on engineering plans and
financial resources
- 3 shy
c The International Bank Ivission I s Appro~
The principles underlying the missions approach may be stated
quite simply The present systems should be extended in the most economical
and efficient manner considering the expected rapid increase in power demand
Wherever possible investment resources administrative organization and techshy
nical skills should be economized by taking advantage of the economies of
large capacity generating plants as well as the economies of interconnected
systems In general effort should be concentrated on increasing capacity
in the main centers and transmitting power from them to smaller communities
with plans for interconnection of systems wherever feasible In cases where
the local demand is small and it is not feasible or economical to build transshy
mission facilities to serve them and for areas which could be connected with
a system in the near future the temporary installation of diesel plants
should be considered preferable to a larger investment in a hydro or a thermal
plant unless such plants are evaluated to be important elements in the system
as a whole and desirable and economic for long run service
D Recommended National Power Commission
The mission considers that in order to carr out an efficient proshy
gram of power development along the general principles just stated it will
be necessary to concentrate responsibility for the nations power development
to a considerably greater degree than before This is not a field that can
be handled effectively on a piecemeal basis IrJhat is needed is a coordinated
plan of development which treats the nations power production in terms of
systems rather than isolated small plants In addition to the efficient
extension of capacity a more efficient use of existing and future capacity
can be achieved through adjustment of rate structures and conditions under
which power is sold
- 4 shy
The mission therefore welcomes the National Governmentts decision
to establish a national power agency along the lines of the recommendations
made on this subject in the National Electrification Plan It is approshy
priate to quote this recommendation as follows
liThe functions of a National Power Commission would include issuance of licenses collection of statistical information preparation of inventory of power resources consideration of possible uses of special large projects coordination of required fuel supply with the mining industry rate studies collection of information useful to the electric power inshydustry standardization of charges and accounting methods and making available to the Government all the elements necessary for formulating a sound policy with regard to electric power supply The subject is broad and worthy of study by a Government committee It
II bull THE NATIUNAL GOVERNHENT S PROGRAM
The tentative program compiled by the Instituto Nacional de
Aprovechamp~~ento de Aguas y Fomento Electrico (Electraguas) includes projects
sponsored by the agencies of the National Government and by Departments and
Ivlunicipalities
As described belmv the program submitted to the mission includes
projects involving a total cost of 828 million pesos and would add about
831000 kw to the present electric generating capacity in the country which
exclusive of private industrial installations amounts to about 390000 kw
Of the total cost foreign exchange in the equivalent of about 440 million
pesos (~176 million) would be required
I NEP Vol 1 Page 39 and Vol 3 Page 72
- 5 shy
The mission found that the projects ~ncluded in the Governments
program could be divided into three groups as follOlfs
GROUP I Projects in advanced stage of engineering and financial
planning
GROUP II Projects on which engineering and financial planning is
in progress and on which if approved iTork could be
started in 1956
GROUP III - Projects which are in an early stage of planning
A Group I Projects
This group is composed of five projects in advanced stage of
engineering and financial planning for expansion of electrical generation
transmission and distribution facilities in the Bogota Cali Manizales and
hedellin areas They are shown below in Table 1 without reference to their
individual priority within the list
- 6 shy
Table No1
Projects Submitted to the lelission -vhich Are in an Advanced stage of Engineering wId Financial Planning
Project Designation
1-1
1-2
1-3
I - 4
1-5
Responsible Type of Project Agency and Capacity
Emp unidas Hydro and de Energia thermal Elec de 161300 kw Bogota
Corporacion Autonoma Regional del Cauca Calima Hydro
120000 kw Transmission lines
Sub-totals 1 - 2
Central Hydro Hidro- 26200 kw electrica de Caldas
Emp de Hydro Energia 78000 kw E1ectrica de Nedellin
Central Hidroelecshytrica del Rio Anchicaya 1ll1chicaya 3rd ooit dydro 20000 kw )
Yumbo ) 1st unit Thermal 12500 kW)
Anchicaya 4th unit Hydro 20000 nmiddotJ
Yumbo ~nd unit Thermal 12500 kw
Sub-Iotal I - 5 (Dgt 000 kvl) Totals 450500 kw
Total Cost Pesos ~l Hillions
1011
615
395 (1010)
408
394
171
58
38 (2(57) 3090
Portion Foreign Exchange
Pesos Hillions
260) ) )
293) (553)
213
184
113
35
28 (17(5) 1800
Construction Period
1954 - 1958
1956 - 1959
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1958
(Now under (construction-shy(to be comshy(pleted in l1958
-7shy
A brief description of each of the above projects follows together
with the comments of the Mission
Project I-I Bogota (Empresas Unidas de Energia Electrica de Bogota)
rThe program includes the 60000 b first stage of a hydro plant at
LJguneta the construction of which was begun in June 1954 a thermal plant of
40000 kw at Zipaquira a hydroelectric plant (SaIto II) of 50000 kw and
additions at the Charquito Plant of 17000 kw The total capacity of the two
latter developments utilizing the flow of the Bogota River is 67000 kw which
is somewhat less than that contemplated for the same period in the NEP The
total cost of these works is estimated at 101 million pesos which includes
074 million pesos (US$ l70 million) for imported equipment and services
It is most important in the whole scheme of the Bogota River development
that additional regulatior be obtained by the creation of new upstream resershy
voirs vdthout which neither SaIto II nor Charquito II can be firmed up for the
full use of their design flow A program for the construction and operation of
such reservoirs should be agreed upon as prudent long-range planning between the
Empresas and the official agencies responsible for flood control irrigation and
urban water supply The matter requires early action on the part of the Empresas
in full cooperation with those agencies
In addition to the program of expansion of generating facilities the
program of the Empresas includes expansion of their transmission lines and disshy
tribution facilities The Bogota system should form the core of the8ventu~l lntershy
connected power grid for the so-called Central and Northeastern power regions
with interconnections to the north to Bucaramanga and Cucuta and to the southwest
to include Ibaque and Honda The part of the project to provide the Laguneta and
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 3 shy
c The International Bank Ivission I s Appro~
The principles underlying the missions approach may be stated
quite simply The present systems should be extended in the most economical
and efficient manner considering the expected rapid increase in power demand
Wherever possible investment resources administrative organization and techshy
nical skills should be economized by taking advantage of the economies of
large capacity generating plants as well as the economies of interconnected
systems In general effort should be concentrated on increasing capacity
in the main centers and transmitting power from them to smaller communities
with plans for interconnection of systems wherever feasible In cases where
the local demand is small and it is not feasible or economical to build transshy
mission facilities to serve them and for areas which could be connected with
a system in the near future the temporary installation of diesel plants
should be considered preferable to a larger investment in a hydro or a thermal
plant unless such plants are evaluated to be important elements in the system
as a whole and desirable and economic for long run service
D Recommended National Power Commission
The mission considers that in order to carr out an efficient proshy
gram of power development along the general principles just stated it will
be necessary to concentrate responsibility for the nations power development
to a considerably greater degree than before This is not a field that can
be handled effectively on a piecemeal basis IrJhat is needed is a coordinated
plan of development which treats the nations power production in terms of
systems rather than isolated small plants In addition to the efficient
extension of capacity a more efficient use of existing and future capacity
can be achieved through adjustment of rate structures and conditions under
which power is sold
- 4 shy
The mission therefore welcomes the National Governmentts decision
to establish a national power agency along the lines of the recommendations
made on this subject in the National Electrification Plan It is approshy
priate to quote this recommendation as follows
liThe functions of a National Power Commission would include issuance of licenses collection of statistical information preparation of inventory of power resources consideration of possible uses of special large projects coordination of required fuel supply with the mining industry rate studies collection of information useful to the electric power inshydustry standardization of charges and accounting methods and making available to the Government all the elements necessary for formulating a sound policy with regard to electric power supply The subject is broad and worthy of study by a Government committee It
II bull THE NATIUNAL GOVERNHENT S PROGRAM
The tentative program compiled by the Instituto Nacional de
Aprovechamp~~ento de Aguas y Fomento Electrico (Electraguas) includes projects
sponsored by the agencies of the National Government and by Departments and
Ivlunicipalities
As described belmv the program submitted to the mission includes
projects involving a total cost of 828 million pesos and would add about
831000 kw to the present electric generating capacity in the country which
exclusive of private industrial installations amounts to about 390000 kw
Of the total cost foreign exchange in the equivalent of about 440 million
pesos (~176 million) would be required
I NEP Vol 1 Page 39 and Vol 3 Page 72
- 5 shy
The mission found that the projects ~ncluded in the Governments
program could be divided into three groups as follOlfs
GROUP I Projects in advanced stage of engineering and financial
planning
GROUP II Projects on which engineering and financial planning is
in progress and on which if approved iTork could be
started in 1956
GROUP III - Projects which are in an early stage of planning
A Group I Projects
This group is composed of five projects in advanced stage of
engineering and financial planning for expansion of electrical generation
transmission and distribution facilities in the Bogota Cali Manizales and
hedellin areas They are shown below in Table 1 without reference to their
individual priority within the list
- 6 shy
Table No1
Projects Submitted to the lelission -vhich Are in an Advanced stage of Engineering wId Financial Planning
Project Designation
1-1
1-2
1-3
I - 4
1-5
Responsible Type of Project Agency and Capacity
Emp unidas Hydro and de Energia thermal Elec de 161300 kw Bogota
Corporacion Autonoma Regional del Cauca Calima Hydro
120000 kw Transmission lines
Sub-totals 1 - 2
Central Hydro Hidro- 26200 kw electrica de Caldas
Emp de Hydro Energia 78000 kw E1ectrica de Nedellin
Central Hidroelecshytrica del Rio Anchicaya 1ll1chicaya 3rd ooit dydro 20000 kw )
Yumbo ) 1st unit Thermal 12500 kW)
Anchicaya 4th unit Hydro 20000 nmiddotJ
Yumbo ~nd unit Thermal 12500 kw
Sub-Iotal I - 5 (Dgt 000 kvl) Totals 450500 kw
Total Cost Pesos ~l Hillions
1011
615
395 (1010)
408
394
171
58
38 (2(57) 3090
Portion Foreign Exchange
Pesos Hillions
260) ) )
293) (553)
213
184
113
35
28 (17(5) 1800
Construction Period
1954 - 1958
1956 - 1959
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1958
(Now under (construction-shy(to be comshy(pleted in l1958
-7shy
A brief description of each of the above projects follows together
with the comments of the Mission
Project I-I Bogota (Empresas Unidas de Energia Electrica de Bogota)
rThe program includes the 60000 b first stage of a hydro plant at
LJguneta the construction of which was begun in June 1954 a thermal plant of
40000 kw at Zipaquira a hydroelectric plant (SaIto II) of 50000 kw and
additions at the Charquito Plant of 17000 kw The total capacity of the two
latter developments utilizing the flow of the Bogota River is 67000 kw which
is somewhat less than that contemplated for the same period in the NEP The
total cost of these works is estimated at 101 million pesos which includes
074 million pesos (US$ l70 million) for imported equipment and services
It is most important in the whole scheme of the Bogota River development
that additional regulatior be obtained by the creation of new upstream resershy
voirs vdthout which neither SaIto II nor Charquito II can be firmed up for the
full use of their design flow A program for the construction and operation of
such reservoirs should be agreed upon as prudent long-range planning between the
Empresas and the official agencies responsible for flood control irrigation and
urban water supply The matter requires early action on the part of the Empresas
in full cooperation with those agencies
In addition to the program of expansion of generating facilities the
program of the Empresas includes expansion of their transmission lines and disshy
tribution facilities The Bogota system should form the core of the8ventu~l lntershy
connected power grid for the so-called Central and Northeastern power regions
with interconnections to the north to Bucaramanga and Cucuta and to the southwest
to include Ibaque and Honda The part of the project to provide the Laguneta and
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 4 shy
The mission therefore welcomes the National Governmentts decision
to establish a national power agency along the lines of the recommendations
made on this subject in the National Electrification Plan It is approshy
priate to quote this recommendation as follows
liThe functions of a National Power Commission would include issuance of licenses collection of statistical information preparation of inventory of power resources consideration of possible uses of special large projects coordination of required fuel supply with the mining industry rate studies collection of information useful to the electric power inshydustry standardization of charges and accounting methods and making available to the Government all the elements necessary for formulating a sound policy with regard to electric power supply The subject is broad and worthy of study by a Government committee It
II bull THE NATIUNAL GOVERNHENT S PROGRAM
The tentative program compiled by the Instituto Nacional de
Aprovechamp~~ento de Aguas y Fomento Electrico (Electraguas) includes projects
sponsored by the agencies of the National Government and by Departments and
Ivlunicipalities
As described belmv the program submitted to the mission includes
projects involving a total cost of 828 million pesos and would add about
831000 kw to the present electric generating capacity in the country which
exclusive of private industrial installations amounts to about 390000 kw
Of the total cost foreign exchange in the equivalent of about 440 million
pesos (~176 million) would be required
I NEP Vol 1 Page 39 and Vol 3 Page 72
- 5 shy
The mission found that the projects ~ncluded in the Governments
program could be divided into three groups as follOlfs
GROUP I Projects in advanced stage of engineering and financial
planning
GROUP II Projects on which engineering and financial planning is
in progress and on which if approved iTork could be
started in 1956
GROUP III - Projects which are in an early stage of planning
A Group I Projects
This group is composed of five projects in advanced stage of
engineering and financial planning for expansion of electrical generation
transmission and distribution facilities in the Bogota Cali Manizales and
hedellin areas They are shown below in Table 1 without reference to their
individual priority within the list
- 6 shy
Table No1
Projects Submitted to the lelission -vhich Are in an Advanced stage of Engineering wId Financial Planning
Project Designation
1-1
1-2
1-3
I - 4
1-5
Responsible Type of Project Agency and Capacity
Emp unidas Hydro and de Energia thermal Elec de 161300 kw Bogota
Corporacion Autonoma Regional del Cauca Calima Hydro
120000 kw Transmission lines
Sub-totals 1 - 2
Central Hydro Hidro- 26200 kw electrica de Caldas
Emp de Hydro Energia 78000 kw E1ectrica de Nedellin
Central Hidroelecshytrica del Rio Anchicaya 1ll1chicaya 3rd ooit dydro 20000 kw )
Yumbo ) 1st unit Thermal 12500 kW)
Anchicaya 4th unit Hydro 20000 nmiddotJ
Yumbo ~nd unit Thermal 12500 kw
Sub-Iotal I - 5 (Dgt 000 kvl) Totals 450500 kw
Total Cost Pesos ~l Hillions
1011
615
395 (1010)
408
394
171
58
38 (2(57) 3090
Portion Foreign Exchange
Pesos Hillions
260) ) )
293) (553)
213
184
113
35
28 (17(5) 1800
Construction Period
1954 - 1958
1956 - 1959
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1958
(Now under (construction-shy(to be comshy(pleted in l1958
-7shy
A brief description of each of the above projects follows together
with the comments of the Mission
Project I-I Bogota (Empresas Unidas de Energia Electrica de Bogota)
rThe program includes the 60000 b first stage of a hydro plant at
LJguneta the construction of which was begun in June 1954 a thermal plant of
40000 kw at Zipaquira a hydroelectric plant (SaIto II) of 50000 kw and
additions at the Charquito Plant of 17000 kw The total capacity of the two
latter developments utilizing the flow of the Bogota River is 67000 kw which
is somewhat less than that contemplated for the same period in the NEP The
total cost of these works is estimated at 101 million pesos which includes
074 million pesos (US$ l70 million) for imported equipment and services
It is most important in the whole scheme of the Bogota River development
that additional regulatior be obtained by the creation of new upstream resershy
voirs vdthout which neither SaIto II nor Charquito II can be firmed up for the
full use of their design flow A program for the construction and operation of
such reservoirs should be agreed upon as prudent long-range planning between the
Empresas and the official agencies responsible for flood control irrigation and
urban water supply The matter requires early action on the part of the Empresas
in full cooperation with those agencies
In addition to the program of expansion of generating facilities the
program of the Empresas includes expansion of their transmission lines and disshy
tribution facilities The Bogota system should form the core of the8ventu~l lntershy
connected power grid for the so-called Central and Northeastern power regions
with interconnections to the north to Bucaramanga and Cucuta and to the southwest
to include Ibaque and Honda The part of the project to provide the Laguneta and
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 5 shy
The mission found that the projects ~ncluded in the Governments
program could be divided into three groups as follOlfs
GROUP I Projects in advanced stage of engineering and financial
planning
GROUP II Projects on which engineering and financial planning is
in progress and on which if approved iTork could be
started in 1956
GROUP III - Projects which are in an early stage of planning
A Group I Projects
This group is composed of five projects in advanced stage of
engineering and financial planning for expansion of electrical generation
transmission and distribution facilities in the Bogota Cali Manizales and
hedellin areas They are shown below in Table 1 without reference to their
individual priority within the list
- 6 shy
Table No1
Projects Submitted to the lelission -vhich Are in an Advanced stage of Engineering wId Financial Planning
Project Designation
1-1
1-2
1-3
I - 4
1-5
Responsible Type of Project Agency and Capacity
Emp unidas Hydro and de Energia thermal Elec de 161300 kw Bogota
Corporacion Autonoma Regional del Cauca Calima Hydro
120000 kw Transmission lines
Sub-totals 1 - 2
Central Hydro Hidro- 26200 kw electrica de Caldas
Emp de Hydro Energia 78000 kw E1ectrica de Nedellin
Central Hidroelecshytrica del Rio Anchicaya 1ll1chicaya 3rd ooit dydro 20000 kw )
Yumbo ) 1st unit Thermal 12500 kW)
Anchicaya 4th unit Hydro 20000 nmiddotJ
Yumbo ~nd unit Thermal 12500 kw
Sub-Iotal I - 5 (Dgt 000 kvl) Totals 450500 kw
Total Cost Pesos ~l Hillions
1011
615
395 (1010)
408
394
171
58
38 (2(57) 3090
Portion Foreign Exchange
Pesos Hillions
260) ) )
293) (553)
213
184
113
35
28 (17(5) 1800
Construction Period
1954 - 1958
1956 - 1959
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1958
(Now under (construction-shy(to be comshy(pleted in l1958
-7shy
A brief description of each of the above projects follows together
with the comments of the Mission
Project I-I Bogota (Empresas Unidas de Energia Electrica de Bogota)
rThe program includes the 60000 b first stage of a hydro plant at
LJguneta the construction of which was begun in June 1954 a thermal plant of
40000 kw at Zipaquira a hydroelectric plant (SaIto II) of 50000 kw and
additions at the Charquito Plant of 17000 kw The total capacity of the two
latter developments utilizing the flow of the Bogota River is 67000 kw which
is somewhat less than that contemplated for the same period in the NEP The
total cost of these works is estimated at 101 million pesos which includes
074 million pesos (US$ l70 million) for imported equipment and services
It is most important in the whole scheme of the Bogota River development
that additional regulatior be obtained by the creation of new upstream resershy
voirs vdthout which neither SaIto II nor Charquito II can be firmed up for the
full use of their design flow A program for the construction and operation of
such reservoirs should be agreed upon as prudent long-range planning between the
Empresas and the official agencies responsible for flood control irrigation and
urban water supply The matter requires early action on the part of the Empresas
in full cooperation with those agencies
In addition to the program of expansion of generating facilities the
program of the Empresas includes expansion of their transmission lines and disshy
tribution facilities The Bogota system should form the core of the8ventu~l lntershy
connected power grid for the so-called Central and Northeastern power regions
with interconnections to the north to Bucaramanga and Cucuta and to the southwest
to include Ibaque and Honda The part of the project to provide the Laguneta and
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 6 shy
Table No1
Projects Submitted to the lelission -vhich Are in an Advanced stage of Engineering wId Financial Planning
Project Designation
1-1
1-2
1-3
I - 4
1-5
Responsible Type of Project Agency and Capacity
Emp unidas Hydro and de Energia thermal Elec de 161300 kw Bogota
Corporacion Autonoma Regional del Cauca Calima Hydro
120000 kw Transmission lines
Sub-totals 1 - 2
Central Hydro Hidro- 26200 kw electrica de Caldas
Emp de Hydro Energia 78000 kw E1ectrica de Nedellin
Central Hidroelecshytrica del Rio Anchicaya 1ll1chicaya 3rd ooit dydro 20000 kw )
Yumbo ) 1st unit Thermal 12500 kW)
Anchicaya 4th unit Hydro 20000 nmiddotJ
Yumbo ~nd unit Thermal 12500 kw
Sub-Iotal I - 5 (Dgt 000 kvl) Totals 450500 kw
Total Cost Pesos ~l Hillions
1011
615
395 (1010)
408
394
171
58
38 (2(57) 3090
Portion Foreign Exchange
Pesos Hillions
260) ) )
293) (553)
213
184
113
35
28 (17(5) 1800
Construction Period
1954 - 1958
1956 - 1959
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1958
(Now under (construction-shy(to be comshy(pleted in l1958
-7shy
A brief description of each of the above projects follows together
with the comments of the Mission
Project I-I Bogota (Empresas Unidas de Energia Electrica de Bogota)
rThe program includes the 60000 b first stage of a hydro plant at
LJguneta the construction of which was begun in June 1954 a thermal plant of
40000 kw at Zipaquira a hydroelectric plant (SaIto II) of 50000 kw and
additions at the Charquito Plant of 17000 kw The total capacity of the two
latter developments utilizing the flow of the Bogota River is 67000 kw which
is somewhat less than that contemplated for the same period in the NEP The
total cost of these works is estimated at 101 million pesos which includes
074 million pesos (US$ l70 million) for imported equipment and services
It is most important in the whole scheme of the Bogota River development
that additional regulatior be obtained by the creation of new upstream resershy
voirs vdthout which neither SaIto II nor Charquito II can be firmed up for the
full use of their design flow A program for the construction and operation of
such reservoirs should be agreed upon as prudent long-range planning between the
Empresas and the official agencies responsible for flood control irrigation and
urban water supply The matter requires early action on the part of the Empresas
in full cooperation with those agencies
In addition to the program of expansion of generating facilities the
program of the Empresas includes expansion of their transmission lines and disshy
tribution facilities The Bogota system should form the core of the8ventu~l lntershy
connected power grid for the so-called Central and Northeastern power regions
with interconnections to the north to Bucaramanga and Cucuta and to the southwest
to include Ibaque and Honda The part of the project to provide the Laguneta and
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-7shy
A brief description of each of the above projects follows together
with the comments of the Mission
Project I-I Bogota (Empresas Unidas de Energia Electrica de Bogota)
rThe program includes the 60000 b first stage of a hydro plant at
LJguneta the construction of which was begun in June 1954 a thermal plant of
40000 kw at Zipaquira a hydroelectric plant (SaIto II) of 50000 kw and
additions at the Charquito Plant of 17000 kw The total capacity of the two
latter developments utilizing the flow of the Bogota River is 67000 kw which
is somewhat less than that contemplated for the same period in the NEP The
total cost of these works is estimated at 101 million pesos which includes
074 million pesos (US$ l70 million) for imported equipment and services
It is most important in the whole scheme of the Bogota River development
that additional regulatior be obtained by the creation of new upstream resershy
voirs vdthout which neither SaIto II nor Charquito II can be firmed up for the
full use of their design flow A program for the construction and operation of
such reservoirs should be agreed upon as prudent long-range planning between the
Empresas and the official agencies responsible for flood control irrigation and
urban water supply The matter requires early action on the part of the Empresas
in full cooperation with those agencies
In addition to the program of expansion of generating facilities the
program of the Empresas includes expansion of their transmission lines and disshy
tribution facilities The Bogota system should form the core of the8ventu~l lntershy
connected power grid for the so-called Central and Northeastern power regions
with interconnections to the north to Bucaramanga and Cucuta and to the southwest
to include Ibaque and Honda The part of the project to provide the Laguneta and
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-8shy
Zipaquira plants and the transmission and distribution system should therefore
be expedited Priority for the other projects is also recommended bearing in
mind that steps should be taken at an early date for regulation of stream flow
in the Bogota River above the present developments
Pro j ect I - 2 rhe Cauca Corporation (CVC) Program
The CVC program only a part of which is included in this group of
projects contemplates a large storage project at Calima with a power station
of 120000 kw the construction of a proposed hydroelectric development at
Timba with the first unit of 25QOO kw installed within the 1955-1960 period
and the commencement of construction in 1959 of a project at Salvajina Also inshy
cluded are transmission lines as follows Cali-Buga-Cartago Calima-Buga
Cali-Timba and Timba-Popayan rhese transmiEsion lines will provide a system
to cover the entire Departamento del Valle the principal centers in Cauca and
provide a link ~~th the system of the Central Hidroelectrica de Caldas Ltda
(CHEC) bull
An engineering program for the projects is actively under way by CVC and
a plan for financing the program is in process of development ihe eve contemshy
plates working out these preliminary steps by early 1956
isre1iminary planning by CVC for an --overall program has resulted in
the selection of the Calima project for first priority among alternative dams
and detail engineering will start on this project early in 1956 Detail enshy
gineering on the part of the transmission system in the northern Valle is already
under way Additional preliminary studies are required for the Timba project before
its features and cost can be reliably determined CVC contemplates the earliest
that work can be scheduled on Salvajina is 1959
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 9 shy
In view of the advanced status of the engineering and financial
planning the Calima project and the transmission lines from Cartago to Cali
Calima to Buga and Cali to Popayan have been included in the list of projects
recommended by the mission for im~ediate execution A preliminary estimate
of the cost of this phase of the CVC program is 101 million pesos of which
553 million pesos (US ~22Ll million) is for imported equipment and services
Further study and planning ~ needed on the Timba project The mission beshy
lieves that Salvajina probably will not need to be started lvithin the 1955shy
1960 period being considered
Project I - 3 Caldas (CREC)
The project consists of the construction of the 30000 kw La Esmeshy
ralda hydro plant which is a part of the La Esmeralda-San Francisco developshy
ment recommended in the i~ EP together with expansion of transmission and
distribution It will develop a 167 meters head downstream from the existing
La Insula plant which was financed by an international Bank loan of US ~26
million made in 1950 The total investment amounts to 406 million pesos
which includes 213 million pesos (US ~85 million) for imported equipment
and services
Density of population and forecast of demand amply justify the
program Engineering design work is satisfacto~ as well as prelimina~
financial arrangements
The project should receive high priority The CHEC system will be
able to supply power to nearby towns and rural areas where transmission intershy
connections are economical Thus other proposals for generation plants in
the CHEC area should be coordinateiwith the CdEC program and eliminated
where conflict exists This comment particularly applicable to the proposed
generating plant at Pereira referred to later In a like manner the CHEC
system should establish service in new areas with due regard for the more domishy
nant potentialities of the CVC system with which it will be interconnected
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-10shy
Project I - 4 Medellin (Empresa de Energia Electrica de Medellin)
The prcgram includes expansion of the Rio Grande nydro plant (with the
addition of the Quebradona dam) and a new Piedras Blancas plant active planning
on both of which is in progress Their combined capacity is to be 76500 kw
which will eventualJyen be increased to 78COO kw as a result of rehabilitation
of the old 1500 kw Piedras Blancas plant
The program also includes the construction of the first 40COQ kw
stage of a new development on Rio Guadalupe using the diverted flow of the Conshy
cepcion and Tenche Rivers This is a part of a large new development which ~~ll
be firmed up by upstream reservoirs studies of vhich are in progress
Transmission lines and expansion of distribution facilities are also
included in the program Expansion of the service territory towards the north
and south is contemplated in the program It is expected that the Empresa will
eventually expand its service area and become regional in character
The total cost of the program is estimated at 394 million pesos inshy
cluding 185 million pesos (US$ 74 million) for imported equipment and services
The service area has been for some time the most advanced in Colombia
with regard to per capita consumption
The project deserves high priority On~ one of the four 40000 kw
units is contemplated at present at the Rio Guadalupe plant but for reasons of
construction econo~ and because of the apparent demand which would result from exshy
tending transmission lines to serve additional communities it seems desirable
to construct two of the Guadalupe units initially This additional unit has been
added to the program as submitted to the Mission Engineering of further stages
of development should be mas t activeJyen continued in order to keep abreast with the
demand
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-11shy
PrOject I - 5 the CHIDRAL Program
All of the program included in the estimate is actual~ under way with
financing arranged except for the proposed second unit of 12 500 kw at the
thermal plant at Yumbo CHIDRAL expects to make financing arrangements for this
unit to enable its construction to be initiated by early 1956 Plans for the
addition of this unit have been fully ccordinated with CVC whose projections of
power supply for the region assume the completion of the Yumbo plant with two
units of 12500 lew each The cost of the unit is included in the recommended
program
B GROUP II PROJECIS
This group comprises projects on which the engineering work is at
such a stage that general planning and specifications for equipment could be comshy
pleted within the ear~ part of 1956 The estimated costs and time schedules
are necessari~ tentative
Table No2 Projects Submitted to the IVlission
on VJhich iihg1neermg and Flnanc1aI PUnning is in Progress
Project Responsible Agency Trpe of Project Total Cost Portion Foreign Constructiol Designation and Name of Project and Capacity (pesos m) Exchange (pesos Period
millions)
II - I Corporacion Autoshy HYdro 25000 1050 390 noma Regional del (1st Stage)
1957-1960middotCauca Tinioa
II - 2 Electraguas Hydro 13000 264 100 1957-1961 Rio Fonce (1st Stage)
II - 3 E1ectraguas Thenna1 250 150 1955-1951 bull 1Faipa 25000 kw
II - 4 Electraguas Transmission 224 161 1954-196- Paipa-Zipaquira and distribution
System Boyaca
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-12 shy
II - 5 Elee trifieadora Thermal 198 123 1955-1959 shyBolivar 22500 hvv
II - 6 Elee traguas Itrdro 197 7 1 19561958 Rio Sumapaz 20000 kw
II - 7 Eleetraguas Transmission 58 43 1958 Melgar Bogope and Distribution System
II - 8 Empresa Municipal Distribution 166 111 de Cali Distribution
Network for Cali
II - 9 E1eetragaus 7540 94 60 1955-1959 Small stations at Sincelejo Zembrano San Andres Fundacion and Valledupar
II - 10 Centrales del N 1herma1 95 63 1956-1951 Santander Cueuta 12000 kw
II - 11 Central HidrPuente Itrdro 92 31 1956-195 Guican Rio Nevado 2750 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 12 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 82 25 1956-1959 Rio Piedras 4500 kVIr (Jerico) (1st Stage)
II - 13 Central Hidr Hydro 80 40 1956-1959 la Cabrera 4470 kw
II - 14 Central Hidrde1 Hydro 65 20 1956-1959 Rio Negro 4800 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 15 Central Hidrdel Itrdro 63 30 1956-1959 Rio Sonson 5000 kw
(1st Stage)
II - 16 E1eetraguas Iransmission 50 22 1956-1957 Bucaramanga to line Cucuta transshymission line
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-13shy
II - 17 Departamento del Huila
Hidrde Rio Iquira (units Nos 2 amp 2)
Hydro 6000 kw
50 25
II - 18 Central Hidr Lebrija
Hydro 9000 lew
46 20 1955-1957
Lebrija expansion
II - 19 Empresa Municipales de Pereira Distribution 45 30 Distribution
system in Pereira
II - 20 CentHdel Rio Hydro 38 20 19S6-l957 CoelloRio Coello 3000 lew
II - 21 Electraguas Hydro 35 20 1956-1957 Rio Recio 4800 kw
II - 22 Departamento de CaIdas
Distribution Distribution 15 03 systems in southwest area including Salamina and Filashydelfia
II - 23 Municipales de Palmira
Electrification Transmission 07 06 of adjacent communi ties Rozo etc
Totals 170360 lew 3264 1564 (or ~626 million)
A description of the projects in Group II ydth the comments of the
Mission follows
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
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I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
Project II - 1 Timba Project CVC
Description and co~~ents regarding this project have been given under
Project I - 2 above
Project II - 2 Rio Fonce (San Gil)
Ibis project which will either be incorporated in the Lebrija system
or assigned to a new agency is at present the responsibility of Electraguas
It consists of the construction in two stages of a 26000 kw hydroelectric
plant on the hio FUnce together with transmission and distribution facilities
to enable the plant to supply the Bucararranga and San Gil districts with
possible later extension to the Malaga district
The total cost of the project estimated at 264 million pesos of
which 10 million pesos (USP 40 million) corresponds to imported equipment
and s ervic es bull
In the NEP power was expected to be supplied to the San Gil area
by transmission from BucaramangalI By building a transmission line from
Bucaramanga (Lebrija plant Item II - 18 below) and interconnecting Bucaramanga
with pamplona and Cucuta the surplus capacity at Lebrija in the early period
and at the thermal plant in Cucuta after 1957-58 could be economically absorbed
in the four districts Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil
A re-examination of the figures of demand submitted by Electraguas at
present confirms this view Consequently further steps for the installation
of the proposed 13000 kw first stage development on Rio Fonce should depend
on the results of a thorough economic study as suggested in the NSP and
as reiterated in the co~~ents regarding the Rio Nevado Project (Item II -11 below
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- J4middot (a) shy
The Rio Fonce project can be economically utilized only by transshy
mitting a substantial part of its energy to Bucaramanga so that a transmission
line between San Gil and Bucaramanga rewains an essential feature of any possible
layout Priority should therefore be given to developing distribution and transshy
mission as described in the project The location of the main transmission line
should be flexibly designed so as to permit connection with any of the alternate
projects
Project II - 3 Paipa Steam Plant
This project to be operated by the Central Termoelectrica de Raipa
SA consists of the construction at Paipa (Departamento de Boyaca) of 25000 kw
stearn plant to serve the Belencito-Sogamoso-Santa Rosa de Viterbo-Paipa-Tunja
area The total cost of the project is estimated at 250 million pesos of which
150 million pesos (US$ 640 million) c0rresponds to imported equipment and
services
The purpose of the project is to supply power to prospective industrial
enterprises which may locate in the Boyaca area to utilize the raw material from
the Belencito steel mill The proposed generating plant ~~uld supply its power
to the Boyaca transmission system which is discussed in Item II - 4 Studies for
such a steam plant of 25000 kw capacity were initiated in the latter part of
1953 and some engineering has been done through several engineering organizations
Proposals for equipment were received several months ago
Preparatory work on the San Jose site near Paipa has been started
principally for site preparation and construction of shop buildings~ warehouses
and living cparters The Mission reviewed the engineering studies thus far made
and found them inadequate to show the existence of a satisfactory water supply
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-15shy
Neither is it certain that a local fuel supply despite the obvious presence of
coal deposits near Paipa is the most economic obtainable and final determinashy
tion of the character and source of fuel may influence the location of the plant
Furthermore operating conditions including cost and personnel bousing would
be more favorable if the new capaci~ were added to the Belencito power plant
The engineering studies thus far made have been to appraise the feasishy
bility of Paipa ~s a location for a thermal plant of this size t~ther than an
assessment of the broader question of what is the best power supp~ for an intenshy
sified agricultural and industrial development in Boyaca and for proposed inshy
creased needs at the Paz de Rio steel plant The supply in order to attract
industry should be the most economic obtainable The mission believes this would
not result from the proposed additinal thermal plant under discussion for Paipa
The most economical power supply obtainable for the region in all likelihood
would be supplied through a transmission system fed by a combination of hydro and
thermal plants so that advantage could be taken of large scale hydro developshy
ments Essential~ the entire power supp~ of the Boyaca area is produced in
thermal plants The additim of still another thermal plant at Paipa would deshy
prive this area of the advantage of more economical power obtainable from a ratioshy
nal thermal-hydrO balance A study should be made of the feasibility of supplying
the Boyaca area with pmer by completion of the remaining sections cr the Bogotashy
Zipaquira-Tunja-Paipa-Belencito transmission line which could be completed
promptly and which comld provide the area with a dependable and economic supply
of power from the calanced Bogota system the capacity of which is being greatly
increased This arrangement would allow time for studying the feasibility of a
large hydro development in the northern area such as the Candelas or Bata
projects In the long run power from such large hydro projects as these offer the
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-16shy
best opportunity for plentiful and cheap power in Colombia
~lectraguas should engage independent consulting engineers experienced
in electric power planning to recow~end the best long run solution for a power
supply to the Boyaca area Any delay due to this appraisal should not cause
inconvenience to the Paipa area as surlJlus power mea1while is available at
Belendto for transmission over the Belendto-Paipa transmission line now under
construction
Project II - 4 Transmission and Distribution System in Boyaca and Interconnection Paipa-~ipaquira
The basic concept of this program is the progressive extension of
electric service to a large number of communities the majority of which at the
present tDne receive little service or none at all The system will also be
available to the new industries developed or planned in the area as a consequence
of the start of operation of the Paz del llio steel mill A certain amount of
rural electrification is also considered
~lectraguas contemplates that power will be supplied to the system
from several plants the principal of which will be the Paipa steam plant In
the initial stages certain portions of the system will be fed from the Belencito
steam plant olrmed by the Paz del Rio steel mill 1fJhich has tenporarily an exshy
cess capacity (about 10000 kw) over and above plant requirements The system
will also be connected with other stations such as the existing steam plant at
Samaca (1000 kw) the Tunja steall plant (2500 kw) now under constr1lction and
a hydroelectric plant in Chiq1~nquira (1200 kw) also under construction
Besides the local lines spreading principally over the center of
Boyaca the system will expand towards and beyond the borders of the Jepartment
reaching Barbosa in the lest and Lipaquira in the Southwest The latter conshy
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-17shy
nection will permit interregional exchange of energy with the Bogota area
The cost of this program is esti~ted at 224 million pesos of which
161 million pesos (US$ 64 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
The various transmission lines and distribution systems v~th subshy
stations correspond in general to the recommendations of the NEP This
layout includes in particular the Paipa-Tunja-Zipaquira 110 kv trunk line
which vlfill play an essential part in exchanges of energy with the Bogota area
Besides these t~gh voltage lines the project includes a considerable extension
of 138 kv secondary lines and distribution systemsa Before proceeding with
actual construction of the longer 138 kv transmission lines included in the
project are-study Ehould be made of this group to determine whether some small
local diesels would not permit supplying energy more economically at the end of
the lines This seems to be also the case with certain portions of 34 kv lines
for example those south of Tunja These lines reach certain areas which in
the NEP were classified as non-connectable that is where power supply by
transmission would be leeS economical than supply from small local stations
The Mission recommends that the project particularly the higher
voltage portion should be given high priority Even if the Paipa steam plant
should be eliminated from the program or its location eventually be shifted
(see Item II -3) the layout of the high voltage lines may remain approximately
the same subject to adjustment of details
Pr)ject II - 5 Cartagena (Electrificadora Bolivar)
Cospique Thermal Plant (called Isla Grande in the NEP)
The recently formed corporation Electrificadora Bolivar owned 46 by
Electraguas and 54 by Cartagena is building the 10000 kw two-unit Cospique
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-18shy
oil-burning steam plant The service area includes besides the city of
Cartagena to which block power viII be supplied from Cospique through the Emshy
presas Publicas of that city several sizable coro~unities in the interior Transshy
mission lines to these communities and distribution systems are included in the
program Considerable portions of generating and transmission-distribution
equipment have been delivered l1ngineering has generally been done by the supplishy
ers of equipment
Obsolescence of a considerable part of the existing facilities which
results in interruptions of service makes it necessary to speed up erection of
the equipment The forecast of demand and construction program correspond to
the reco~nendations of the NEoP ~
It is also important for the utility to speed up construction in order
to start receiving income which will facilitate the reimbursement of short term
manufactuers I loans which requires immediate a vailability of tunds This part
of the project deserves high priority The total cost of this stage is estimated
at 76 million pesos of ~mich 5 million pesos (US$ 20 million) would correspond
to imported equipment and services
Further EA~ansi0n - the utility considers it necessary to proceed with
a next step of expansion and contemplates an additional 12500 kw steam unit No
engineering has been done as yet in connection with this unit which is included
in the program merely as an investment figure at an estimated cost of 110 million
pesos of which 67 million pesos (US$ 27 million) would correspond to imported
equipment and services
Although growth of demand would seem to justify the investment at once
this part of the project should be delayed until necessary engineering work for
li Vol2 Page VI-N-17
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-19shy
it has been done Immediate steps in this respect are recommended Moreover
study of a transmission line between Cartagena and Barranquilla in accordance
with the NEP should be undertaken in cooperation with the Cia Colombiana de
Electricidad
Projects II - 6 and II - 7 Sumapaz Hydro Plant _and Bogota-Melgar-Girardot Transmission Line
These projects comprise (a) the 20000 ~r San Bartolo ~droelectric
plant on the Rio Sumapaz The plant would supply power to an area southwest of
Bogota of which the principal centers are Girardot and Fusagasuga (b) A 110
kv transmission line to connect the Laguneta hydroelectric plant now being
built in the Bogota system with Fusagasuga Pandi (where it will connect With the
outgoing line from the San Bartolo plant) Melgar and eventually Girardot
Secondary transmission lines at 33 kv and lower voltage will also be constructed
and (c) Corresponding expansion and rehabilitation of lo~ distribution systems
The cost of these projects is estimated as follows
Total Cost (Pesos)
Imported Equipmen and Services
San Bartolo Plant 1ransmission Line Distribution Systems
Total
19700000 40001 000 I 800000
25500000
7100)000 2900000 1350000
11350000 or
(l45 million)The project in its present form is on a much larger scale than the
hydroelectric plant of 8 - 10s000 kw and the 33 kv transmissi6n line which NEP
recommends for this area ZI
ZI Vol 2 Table VI-c-6 page VI-c-56
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
__ __
- 20 shy
The reason for the increase in scale is the construction of a camp at Melgar
which is expected to house military personnel and their dependents to the number
of 25000 The 1954 population of the service area was estimated at 65400
The Mission considers that it is premature to proceed with a 20000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Sumapaz In the first place the interconnectiono
with the Bogota system to be provided by the transmission line may render a
plant of this size unnecessary Secondly engineering studies are required to
establish the availability of water for a 20000 kvr planta lhe possibility of a
reservoir in the upper Sumapaz basin to regulate flow should be studied
The Mission recommends that the transmission phase of this project be
given high priority
Project II _-__~D_l_middots_t_r~i~b~u_t~i~o~n~N_et_w~o_r~k~f~or C_a_li~middot
The Cali zone is one of the most highly developed and prosperous areas
of Colombia both in agriculture and industry The distributi~n facilities are
inadequate to handle the increased power supply already available from the
recently completed units at Anchicaya and scon to become available from the
Yumbo thermal plant rtehabilitation of the Cali distribution system is current~
in progress and its completion deserves a high priority~
Project II - 9 Small Stations in Isolated Communities
This project consists of six small diesel electric plants to be located
at Zambrano Sincelejo San Andres y Providencia Valledupar and Fundacion Th~
have been designated by the Electragua~ the sponsoring agency as social projectsl
inasmuch as it is not contemplated that the several plants will be self-liquidashy
ting and will need some subsidy for the foreseeable future
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-21shy
The location of the several plants and the capacities are as follows
Sincelejo 1500 kw Fundacion 3(00 kw Zembrano 1000 kw Valledupar 1000 kw San Andres y ~kw
Providencia 200 kw Total 7540 kw
As the con~unities to be served by these projects at present have the
use of only about 20000 kw effective capacity for a population of 2350000
the proposed new capacity is ver1 small One apparent reason for this is because
organization and studies required for this part of Colombias power development
are lagging behind In accordance with information collected locally additional
plants are also urgently needed in isolated areas of Cundinamarca Cordoba Caldas
Choco and Magdalena
The Mission believes that while these projects may not be se1fshy
liquidating from a short-run point of view th~ may in the long run open the
door to more extensive and profitable power development in the areas concerned
The ~lission therefore recommends that these projects be carried out as soon as the
necessary stUdies are completed and also recommends that Electraguas give inshy
creased attention L~ the future to engineering studies of the requirements of such
isolated communities
Projects II - 10 Tibu~s lbrbine Plant (Cucuta)
This project will be carried out by the recently formed Centra1es
Electricas del NOrte de Santander and will consist of (a) the installation
of tv~ 6000 kw gas turbine generators at Tibu in the Banco oilfields north of
Cucuta (b) the construction of a single circuit 98 kill 66 kv transmission line
from Tibu to Cucuta and (c) corresponding expansion of distribution facilities
The total cost of these works is estimated at 95 million pesos of
which 6275 million pesos (US$ 25 million) corresponds to imported equipment and
services
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 22 shy
The service area Jill include the city of Cucuta and neighboring cornmushy
nities The forecast of demard submitted by the Government is somewhat more conshy
servative than the forecasts of the Technical yenussion In any event further
expansion after 1960 by the addition of two more 6000 1W units and an additional
transmission circuit is contemplated Detail engineering is at present in proshy
gress Expansion of the distribution system is also in progress The project as
proposed is justified Furthermore with the Cucuta-Bucarallanga transmission line
(Item II - 16) it will be possible to economically supply power to other areas in
the Northeast (This ties in also w~th Items II - 2 and II - 18)
Project II - 11 Rio Nevado (Puente Guican)
This project to be constructed by E1ectraguas pending the establishshy
ment of a local agency consists of the construction of a 5500 kw hydroelectric
plant on the Rio Hevado together uith transmission lines and distribution facilishy
ties to serve the Cocuy district Hhich has a high density of population but
where population centers are small and present service is extreIllely deficient The
total cost is estimated at about 92 million pesos of which 3middot1 million pesos
(US$ 124 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
While in the NEPsect it was contemplated that service would be limited
to the Cocuy district alone the present plan contemplates extension of service to
Malaga to the northwest Economics of transmission to the latter area should be
carefully balanced against providing service from local diesel plants which could
serve while load development is in progress
The water porer potentialities of this basin and of the Rio Fonce basin
should be studied jointly to determine the storage possibilities for a larger type
power development in conjunction with a transmission scheme for inter-connecting
proposed hydro plants on the Rio Nevado or Rio Fonce ~~th the Paz del Rio and
sect( Vol 2 Page VI-NE-22
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 23 -
Belencito areas so as to permit development of larger blocks of power on the Rio
Nevado at some later date The mission therefore recommends that development of in
the proposed Rio Nevado plant should be heldabeyance until a thorough study has
been made of the economics of transmission from the point of view of service to the
area of influence from the best power scheme available
Project II - 12 Jerico
This project consists of the first stage of 4500 kw of a 9000 kw
hydroelectric plant on the Rio Piedras together with transmission and distribution
facilities to supply a prosperous agricultural area around Jerico about 55 km
southrest from Hedellin The total cost of this first stage is estimated at 82
million pesos of which 25 million pesos (US$ 10 million) corresponds to imshy
ported equipment and services
Although the site is attractiVe for a hydro development the forecast of
demand shoHs a peak of about 2500 kw by 1960 vJhich is insufficient to justify a
plant of this size As in the case of the Sonson project (see Item II - 15) this
area should be served from Medellin and the Empresa de Energia Electrica de
l1edellin is already planning to supply pO~Ter service to some of the communities
included in tee project Therefore negotiations should be started with Medellin
in order to arrange power service for the entire area A practical solution of
the present shortage if interconnection with Hedellin cannot be promptly worked
out could be found by installing local diesels Improvement of distribution
should also be a part of the intermediate program
Project II - 13 La Cabrera
This project comprises the first stage (hJO 2235 kw units) of a hydroshy
electric plant in the upper Rio Cauca to which one or hJO further units may be
added later together 1Uth transllission and distribution f acilities to supply the
city of Popayan and the surrounding area The total cost of the first stage is
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 24 shyestimated at 80 million pesos of ~Jhich 4 0 mil2ion pesos (US$ 16 million) correshy
sponds to imported equipment and services
This project is not now justified in view of the present plans of the
eve (see Item I - 2) to build tranamp~ission lines to Popayan to be completed by the
end of 1958
In order to relieve the present shortage in Popayan it is suggested
that several small projects now in progress such as La Florida expansion and
Sajandi could be used in the intermediate period Improvement of distribution
during that period should be carried out
Project II - 14 Rio Negro
This project consists of the first stage (two units each of 2400 kw)
of a hydroelectric plant on the Rio Negro north of Cundinamarca together with
transmission lines and distribution systei11S to enable it to serve an area of which
the principal load centers are La Dorada and Honda It planned eventually to
increase the capacity to 9600 kw by installing two additional units The total
cost of the first stage is estimated at about 65 million pesos of which 20
million pesos (US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services~
This project has been examined in the NEP report 11 and lJaS favorably
coneidered not only for power supply but also for irrigation The present plan of
pOl-Jer development which consists of 4800 ~J as the first stage tdth ultimate exshy
pansion up to 9600 kw shortly after 1960 is Em~ler th~~ has been suggested in
the NEPsect( which anticipated 10000 lew initially and an ultimate development at
this site of 15000 kw stream flow data are however not very complete and
further basin wide studies should be carried out for possible reservoir sites
before final decisions are made vith respect to future expansion of the project
17 Vol 2 Page VI-C-16 sect( Vol 2 Table VI-C-6 Page VI-c-56
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 25 shy
The project should be favorably considered because of its strategic
location with regard to an attractive service area The area includes Villeta
Dorada and Honda and is promising from the agricultural and industrial points of
view The area is traversed by the Bogota-Puerta Salgar railroad and by the
Bogota-Honda-La Dorada highway which is being actively improved and ~rill eventually
become part of the modern Bogota-Medellin highway La Dorada is a transportation
center served by Magdalena River navigation and all important point of petroleum
traffic The project involves transmission lines vlhich will gradually become part
of a system connected Jith Armero (Rio Recio project Item II - 21) and eventually
with Bogota to the southeast
Having future nevelopment in view the Rio Negro project should be
stacted promptly subject to the completion of the detail engineering because
sL~ilarly to the Rio Coello and Rio Recio projects (see Items II - 20 and II - 21)
it will carry power service to prosperous areas now lacking such service and capshy
able of becoming a link in an integrated system
Project II - 15 Sonson
This project consists of the first stage of 5000 kw of a 10000 kw
hydroelectric plant on tile Rio Sonson together with transmission and distribution
facilities to serve the Sonson area southeast of Medellin The total cost of the
first stage is estimated at 625 million pesos of which about 30 million pesos
(US$ 12 million) corresponds to imported equipment and services
This 5000 kw first stage hydro project is intended for supplying power
to a small but prosperous agricultural area 75 km southeast from Medellin on the
highway to La Dorada studies made to date on this site are sommihat sketchy and
should be continued before final action is taken Furthermore the demand in the
service area could not be expected to result in a peak ~oad larger than about
21 Hap VI-c-4 Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-26shy
1500 ktv by 1960 since service n0W liJj~ed to the capacity of the small
diesel plants in the area This will have unfavorable economic results for the
project in its initial operating period Host importantly this area is within
the logical service area of lledellin and its system now branches out in that
direction The feasibility of serving the area from IJledellin should therefore
be investigated before proceeding further with the Sonson project Pending a
decision local diesels should be installed and distribution systems improved
Project II - 16 Bucaramanga-Gucuta Transmission Line
This project consists of the construction of a 140 km 110 kv transshy
mission line between Bucaramanga and Cucuta to enable the surplus capacity at
Lebrija in the immediate future and at the thermal plant at Cucuta after 1957-58
to be absorbed in the Cucuta Pamplona Bucaramanga and San Gil areas The total
cost of the project including substantions at Bucara1larga Cucuta and Pamplona
is estimated at about 50 million pesos of which ~2 million pesos 1(US ~876000)
corresponds to imported equipment and services
As stated in some detail in the preceding analysis of Item II - 2
pmier supply to the Bucaramanga and San Gil areas may be more advantageously
provided by means of a transmission line than by the Rio Fonce hydro plant A
study of the demand for CuclAta shows that a sizeable surplus capacity to be
available from that source Furthermore the construction of the Rio Fonce
plant cannot be completed as early as the transmission line The investment for
the Bucaramanga-Cucuta line is of the order of 6 million pesos as compared with
262 million pesos for the Rio Fonce project
Consequently it recommended that a study be made of an integrated
power supply from a transmission system interconnecting vuth the Bogota-Belencito
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 27 shy
tranSMission ~Jstem at Belencito Such a study should determine the most economishy
cal sources for generating power to serve the requirements of the areas thus
interconnected
Project II - 17 Additions to the Iquira aydroelectric Plant Departamento del Hulla
The first pOi-vel development on this river consisting of two units of
1400 ~i each is essentially completed as is also the transmission line from the
Iquira station to Nieva From information at present available the adverse geoshy
logical conditions in the area where the reservoir is located make the expansion
proposed in this project inadvisable In the NEP a recorr~nendation was also inshy
cluded that further studies be carried out before proceeding vuth further power
developments on this riverplusmnpound(
Project II - 18 Lebrija Exp~~sion
The agency responsible for this project is the Central Hidroelectrica
del Rio Lebrija Ltda to which the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development granted a loan of uS il24 million
The first stage of the project of 9000 kW Nas completed early in 1954
and is now in operation The present project provides for its expansion to 18000
kw The expansion program ca~ be concluded in 1957
This plant supplies at present the city of Bucaramanga which is the
principal load center of the district The communities of Floridablanca Piedshy
cuesta Giron Lebrija and Rionegro irill be suplied in 1956 and 1957 The
necessary tranampnission lines and distribution systems will be constructed for this
purpose
The total cost of the project is estimated at 46 million pesos which
includes 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) for imported equipment and services
21 Vol 2 Page VI-S-2S Neiva Zone
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 28 shy
shy
The early exansiol1 0 tlle Leodja hyuroelectric plant (two additional
4500 lui units) was recommended in the JEP It corresponds to the growth of
demand in the city of Bucaramanga and the several comllurities which are J or v1ill
be connected shortly to the Lebrija plant
The mission recoIllillends that high priority should e given to this proshy
jectJ which requires very little additional engineering or civil works Further
reference is made to this project under Items II - 21 - 10 and II - 16 which
are interdependent with Lebrija
Project II - 19 Distributio~ System in Pereira
This project is for the Jurpose of mode~~izing and extending the distrishy
bution system of Pereira to enable it to more adequately serve its market area
The mission concurs in the proposed program
Project II - 20 Rio C~~
This project consists of -the construction of a 3000 kl hydroelectric
11plant to tale advntage of exsting irriltion facUities on the Rio Coello-
and is intended to surly pCJer to the citr a1d district of Ibague The total cost
is estimated at 375 lilllion pesosgt of llich 20 million pesos (US$ 800000) correshy
sponds to linported equi~ment and services
The euro~onomi contribution of this part of the l1agdalena Valley rhere
agricultural production is significant and highvmys are improved including the
main trunk line Jvut0 Bogocamiddot-Girarc0t-Tu3gue-Armenia-Cali ~mu1d seem to justify
the forecast of demand
In the NEP it was contemplated that bGsides the Coello-Ibague transshy
mission line to deliver pOvler from the project a tralsmission line i-Tould also be
12bullt before 1960 from Coello to Girardot-- Even though it is planned now to
supply additional povrer to Girardot from the Sumapaz project or alternatively
11 Vol 2 Page VI-C-12 y Vol 2 IIlap VI-c-4J Page VI-c-60
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 29 shy
from the Bogota transmission SJsterl the contruction of the Coello-Girardot
transmission line would be advisable Further study may actually justify the conshy
struction of a continuous 110 kv line (viith possible initial operation at 66 kv)
connecting Laguneta-Pandi (S1lr1apaz)-Helgar-Girardot-Coello-Ibague This line at
some later date might become a part of an intercolli~ection grid offering the
possibility of future connection to the west ie from Ibague to the CrtEC or CVC
system
Some study should be given to the scheduling of construction and to
planning joint operation of the various stretches of this extensive transmission
line the northern end of which (Laguneta) rJill be cOlmected to the Zipaquira
steaTl plant and also to the Boyaca system
Proj~ct II - 21 Rio Recio
This project~ to be managed and operated by the Centrales del Tolilna
S~A consists of the construction of a 4800 kw hydroelectric plru1t on the Rio
Recio to take advantage of the existing h7draulic lltiorks (diversion dam and concreteshy
lined canal) of the Lerida-pnbalema irrigation system Transrrdssion and distribushy
tion facilities will ta provided to enable the plant to serve the progressive
agricultural districts of Ambalema and Armero in northern Tolimao
The total cost of the project including trans~ission and distribution
systems is estimated at about 35 million pesos of iNhich 20 millio pesos
(US$ 800000) corresponds to imported equipment and services
The demand forecast in the NEP for both the Ambalema and Armero
districts is higher than available capacity e~~pected at the first stage of Rio
Recio Later expansion of this pla1t is possible hOHevero It is also desirable
to later establish an intercoru1ection with the area served by Rio Negro (see
Item II - 14) to the north and east~
This project is reco~~ended because it will serve a prosperous area
rrhere service is at present rather unsatisfactory POlTer development in such an
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 30 shy
area will immediately create at a distance of about 120 km from Bogota a growing
load center capable of becoming a part of an integrated sYstem13
Project II - 22 Distribution Systems in Departamento de Caldas
Provision for needed additional transmission lines in the Depar~~ent is
made urgent by the planned early completion of additional generation capacity by
CHEC (see Item I - 3) and the mission recommends that the program go forward
Project II - 23 Palmira Tr~lission System Extensions
Proposed extension of this transmission system should be fully coordishy
nated with the program of the CVC and oP~y carried out to the extent it is compatshy
ible with the over-all plans and schedules for producing and delivering power in
the CVC region
C Group III Proiect
Table No 3 gives the projects in an early stage of planning which were
submitted to the mission
TfJ3LE NO 3
Projects Submitted ~ the llission vfrlich Are Still in the Planning Stage
Portion Total Foreign
Type of Cost Exchange Project
Designation Responsible Agency and Name of Proj ect
Project and Capacity
Pesos Millions
Pesos Millions
III - 1 Corporacion Autonoma del Cauca Salvajina
Hydro 100000 kw
685 27 3
III - 2 Departamento del Huila Betania Hydroelectric Plant
Hydro 50000 kw
400 200
III - 3 Departamento Norte de Santander F~ectrification Program (generation transmission and distribution)
12000 lew (estimated)
250 200
III - 4 Ivlunicipales de Pereira (Caldas) Planta de Senegal
14000 kw (first unit)
210 126
13 See lvIap vI-a-ti Vol 2 of NEP Page VI-c-60
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
- 31 shy
III - 5 Empresa de Pasto (lrarinc) Pasto 10000 kw 100 60 Hydroelectric station
III - 6 Depart~aento del Choco Hydro de 10000 kw 80 60 la Soledad
III - 7 Cooperativa de l1unicipalidadee de 3000 kw Antioquia Ltda Small hydroelectric plants
III - 8 Departamento de Caldas Hidro- 3500 kw 40 electrica Buenavista (connected with El Bosque)
III - 9 Departamento del hagdalena 2500 ktf 20 Small plants to serve 20 towns
III - 10 Departamento del Atlantico Transmission 18 Electrification of the Depart~~nt and
Distribution
III - 11 Departamento del Valle 1500 kw~~ 20 14 Electric facilities to serve Tulua
III - 12 Departamento de Cordoba 1000 kw~r 12 0 9 Small plants to serve 13 towns
III 13 I1unicipales de Barrancabermeja 1000 kw~V~ 12 007 Zlectric Gen3rating facilities
III - 14 Departamento del Chaco 500 kw-l- 06 04 Plants to serve various small towns (projects at Carmen Quibdo etc)
III - 15 Departrunento de Cundinamarca 02 Small plants to serve rural communities
III 16 Empresa de Pasto (Narino) 1200 kw 02 00 Completion of existing worlce at Rio Sapuyes
Totals ~0600 kw 1927-w4l7 milllon Estimated
Hith minor exceptions the projects listed in fable No 3 above are in
a very preliminary stage of planning at the present time a~d should have further
study before being included in the program for government sponsorship or financial
participation The engineering work should proceed on such of these projects as
or
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-32shy
were recommended for consideration by the Technical rUssion and upon
corrpletion of these preliminary studies 61ectraguas should indicate which
of the projects justify further consideration and the budget that should
be established for execution of such selected projects In the mission r s
recommendations a contingency fund is set apart for power development
lith which such selected projects could be financed
III Sm1rvIARY OF RECOijIENDATIONS
Cn the basis of the foregoing considerations the following recommendashy
tions are submitted
1 That to the extent that they are not already financed and
under constr~ction the Government give first priority to the projects
surrnnarized and listed in Table No 4 below Although for the most part
these projects are well advanced in engineering and financial planning
construction should be authorized on each project only after engineering
plans and specifications are sufficiently advanced to provide the basis
for competitive bidding and firm contracts The estimates are tentative
of course and ~~11 necessarily be modified as engineering plans are preshy
pared in greater detail
TABLE NO4
Projects Recommended by the mission for Immediate Authorizati()Qfor Electric Power Development
in Colombia
- Portion For-Project Capacity Estimated Cost eign Exchange Remarks
(Im) (Pesos IvIi11ions) (Pesos Ni11ions)
I - 1 Bogota 161300 1011 674
I - 2 evc 120000 1010 553 Ca1ilna and Transmission
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-33shy
I - 3 Caldas
I - 4 Hedellin
I - 5 Anchicaya
II - 4 Boyaca System-Zipaquira transmission line
II - 5 1301ivar
II - 7 Bogota-Melgartransmission line
II - 8 Cali distribution
II - 9 Small rojects (Sincelejo etc)
II - 10 Cucuta
- 14 Rio Negro
II - 16 Bucar~~nga-Cucuta transmission
II - 18 Lebrija
II - 19 Pereira distribution
II - 20 Coello
II - 21 Rio Recio
- 22 Caldas transmission
Totals
26200
118000
65000
12500
7540
12000
4800
9000
3000
4800
544140
40 0 8
440
267
224
88
58
166
905
65
50
46
38
35
15
4155
213
211
176
161
62
43
111
60
63
20
2 2
20
33
20
0 3
2465
Includes 2nd unit of 40000 kw at Guadalupe additional to the proshyject as subrnitted
Part of V-2 under conshystruction
Cospique plant and diesels
or $986 million
2 Projects not listed in Table no 4 are recomnended for further study
of the engineering aspects and of their economic soundness Those which
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
bullbull
-34shy
such study establishes as sound should be incorporated in the programs for
subsequent years for execution as finances permit
3 In order for the National Goverrunent to accumulate the basic hydroshy
logic geologic and topographic data it requires for sound planning of elecshy
tric power development in Colombia the mission recommends that the National
Government provide a sum of three million pesos annually for the next five
years to the Departmento de Fomento ~lectrico of the Corporacion de Servicios
Publicos the successor to Electraguas for making hydrologic geologic and
topographic studies
4 The projects listed in Table No4 which the mission recommends
for prompt eYecution provide for an increase in the total generating capacity
in Colombia of 544 140 kw 1lihich added to the present 390000 kw of public
utility power would provide a total of approximately 934000 kw qy 1960
This compares with the total of 1150000 kw recommended for that year in
the NEP
The total estimated cost of the projects in Table No4 and the
expenditure required per year is shown in Table No bull 5 bull
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
--
--
-35shy
Table No 5
Total Project Cost 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
I - 1 Bogota 1011 ~34 235 201 124 124 99 I - 2 CVC 1010 167 408 385 50 I - 3 Caldas 408 91 180 113 24 I - 4 Ledellin 440 32 239 150 19 I - 5 Anchicaya 267 90 94 57 26
II - 4 Boyaca System 224 16 31 62 57 43 15 II - 5 Bolivar 88 68 20 II - 7 Bogota System-Melgar S8 40 18 II - 8 Cali 166 LO 34 51 44 27 II - 9 Small projects 94 06 73 14 01
(Sincelejo etc) II -10 Cucuta 95 20 50 21 04 II -14 Negro 60S 02 05 23 23 12 II -16 Bucaramanga-Cucuta 50 20 30 II -18 Lebrija 46 05 22 19 II -19 Pereira 45 LS 15 15
-20 Coello 38 38 II -21 Rio Receio 35 20 15 II -22 Caldas 15 06 ~
Total 4155 56uo 126 2 1226 73~9 260 108-_shy
This tapering pattern of investment would not of course suffice
to meet all the needs of an expanding economy for which it would be necessary
to maintain and even to increase somewhat the 1956 rate of investment The
NEP for example estimated that over the period 1955-1960 a total investshy
ment of 958 million pesos or an average of approximately 160 million pesos
a year would be necessary to make good the existing deficiency of generating
capacity and to keep pace with increasing needs14
141 Vol 1 page 36--
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-36shy
Any target rate of progress of this kind however is realistic
only insofar as it can be translated into terms of well-prepared specific
projects of demonstrated need and insofar as adequate financing can be made
available taking into account the urgent needs of other sectors of the
economy Neither of these conditions is likely to be fulfilled in Colombia
in the near future sufficiently to permit a rate of expansion as rapid as
that recommended by N P It should however prove possible to maintain
investment in power at a level at least as high as and it may be hoped a
little higher than that now scheduled for 1956-1957
5 Nuch delay and unnecessary expense has been encountered in the past
in carrying ct electric power projects simply because the basic engineering
has not been completed before steps are taken to buy eq~pment or begin conshy
struction At the outset competent professional engineers should be called
in to plan the most economic source of power supply to meet the requirements
of any particular service area Once the type character and location of
the power station are decided the next step is to have the engineers preshy
pare plans ~~d specifications as the basis for inviting international comshy
petitive bids from suppliers of the desired equipment and from experienced
contractors capable of completing the project within a satisfactory period
By following such a procedure the Government or responsible agency obtains
the savings in costs made possible by free competition among private manushy
facturers and contractors each bidding on an equal basis for comparable
items or performance
The mission strongly recommends that in the planning financing
and execution of power projects Colombian agencies avoid entering into conshy
tracts whereby all these functions are placed in the hands of a single firm
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment
-37shy
primarily engaged in the manufacture of electrical equipment These contracts
are attractive because they apparently relieve the client of trouble and
responsibility and provide a solution of the financing problem This appearshy
ance is usually illusory ~ihen the firm which is to supply the equipment
also designs tne plant other considerations besides the most economical and
efficient way of meeting the clients needs are bound to influence the designs
Lack of competition also increases the price the client has to pay Financing
provided or negotiated by a supplier is usually for a shorte r term than is
appropriate to a power project and at a higher rate of interest than might
be obtained in other directions
It is much more efficient and economical to employ consulting
engineers to prepare designs and supervise construction and to award conshy
tracts for constr~ction and the sl~ply of equipment through competitive
bidding This the accepted procedure for public works const~uction in all
industrialized countries gives the best assurance of adequate design and
sOlmd construction In these circumstances the fees paid to the consulting
engineers are an amply justified investment