2024-09-26 02:21:25
Business organizations have urged the Government of Gustavo Petro to act immediately to guarantee a safe and efficient supply of gas and electricity for homes, industries and businesses.
Various energy sector associations have warned of a possible supply crisis in Colombia in the coming years. According to Acolgen, ACP, Andesco, Andeg, Asocodis, Naturgas, SER Colombia, Asoenergía and the Chamber of Large Energy and Gas Consumers of ANDI, the country will face a critical panorama in the natural gas sector starting in 2025, and in the supply of electricity starting in 2026, if urgent measures are not taken.
Business organizations have urged the government of Gustavo Petro to act immediately to guarantee a safe and efficient supply of gas and electricity for homes, industries and businesses. The outlook for the electricity sector in Colombia is especially worrying. Experts and the Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME) have warned that by 2026 there would not be enough firm energy to cover the country’s demand. In addition, from December 2028, in the event of climatic phenomena such as El Niño or prolonged droughts, the country could face energy rationing.
A recent report from XM revealed that reservoir levels have been at critical levels since April, when they dropped below 30%. Although the system’s useful reservoir reached 50.19% by September 2024, this figure is still below historical averages. The slow entry of new generation projects and the growth in energy demand aggravate this situation.
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Reducing uncertainty
The unions stressed the importance of reducing regulatory uncertainty and adopting measures to promote investment in energy infrastructure. Among the proposed actions are the holding of new energy expansion auctions, the promotion of complementary technologies and rigorous monitoring of thermal plants and fuel supply logistics.
As for natural gas, figures from the Market Manager confirm that a deficit is imminent for 2025 and 2026. The unions warned that there will not be enough local gas to meet the demand of homes, businesses and industries. This deficit would force many industries to return to the use of more polluting fuels or, in the worst case, to close production plants, affecting employment and increasing inflation.
Natural gas is essential for the quality of life of Colombians. Currently, 36 million people have access to this energy source in their homes, of which 84% belong to the lowest social strata. In addition, natural gas for vehicles (NGV) has been key in reducing polluting emissions and lowering costs for the transportation sector.
Make marketing more flexible
Given this situation, the unions reiterated the need to adopt additional measures to make natural gas marketing more flexible and to facilitate gas imports to meet demand. They also stressed the urgency of accelerating the development of gas discoveries on land and at sea, as well as prioritizing the infrastructure projects necessary to guarantee supply.
Finally, they called on the National Government to maintain an environment of trust that favours the development of key projects for the country’s energy future, insisting on the importance of coordinated work between national and regional actors.
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