Colombia's Inspector General's Office has formally demanded that the Superintendency of Public Utilities (Superservicios) expand its reporting on the ongoing state intervention of Air-e, the troubled Caribbean electricity distributor, after concluding that an initial report submitted by the regulator was too vague to allow meaningful oversight of the process.
Read moreA Revista Cambio investigation published March 16, 2026 and based on documents now held by the Fiscalía reveals a coherent pattern of financial opacity during Energy Minister Edwin Palma's tenure as special intervening agent at Air-e: large payment agreements covering pre-intervention debts, the systematic restriction of financial information from auditors and successor officials, and the concentration of accounting control within Palma's immediate personal circle.
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Tariffs once again capture MinEnergia’s attention and, by extension, that of SuperServicios and the CREG. This is a hard argument to make for the average non-economist looking at their bill but, in real terms, prices have been under control since the pandemic.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy has launched a national call for technical cooperation project proposals under its partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), targeting the 2028–2029 cooperation cycle. The announcement, dated March 11, 2026, builds on two decades of joint work through which nuclear techniques have been applied to radiological safety, cancer treatment, agricultural productivity, and environmental monitoring.
Read morePresident Gustavo Petro's administration is defending the continued tenure of Ricardo Roa and Jorge Carrillo at two of Colombia's most strategically important state enterprises despite escalating legal controversies surrounding both officials,
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Colombia's Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and IDEAM issued an early warning on March 16, 2026 following detection of warming signals in the equatorial Pacific Ocean indicating possible El Niño development during the second half of the year, with potential implications for national water resources and agricultural sectors.
Read moreHidroituango S.A. issued a stark warning about Colombia's electricity sector vulnerability after analysis revealed the Sistema Interconectado Nacional (SIN) experienced net capacity contracted in 2025 despite new generation project additions.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy presented a draft resolution on March 12, 2026 establishing transitional guidelines for differential electricity tariffs targeting the country's most vulnerable families, particularly those in historically underserved rural areas and territories facing operational difficulties.
Read moreColombia's February inflation rate of 5.29% came in below market expectations of 5.5%, driven primarily by energy price deceleration rather than broad-based disinflation.
Read moreThe Colombian government issued a decree suspending electricity billing and collection for properties affected by the economic emergency declaration in eight departments until users recover payment capacity.
Read moreThe Departamento Nacional de Planeación (DNP) conducted a technical tour of three strategic works funded by royalty resources in Santander that generate direct community benefits.
Read moreCopper and rare earth minerals have displaced petroleum as the primary strategic resources in global competition, transforming international relations into what experts call "Diplomacy of the Subsoil."
Read moreLast Sunday, March 8th Colombians went to the polls to vote in presidential primaries and, more importantly perhaps, to vote in congressional contests for the upper and lower houses. What happened and what does it mean?
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Colombia reached 4 gigawatts in clean energy generation, representing 17.09% of the country's total energy matrix, with the launch of the new Parque Solar Atlántico.
Read moreColombia's Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission published draft Complementary Agreement 001 for public consultation February 27, 2026, marking significant progress toward enabling the first bilateral electrical energy exchange between Colombia and Panama. The draft agreement develops detailed guidelines for cost distribution, interconnection remuneration, and efficient development of the binational project.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) establishing a technical cooperation framework for nuclear technology applications oriented toward decarbonizing energy systems and strengthening electrical supply.
Read moreColombia achieved 93.12% national electric coverage in 2024 after connecting 539,351 new homes to the grid, with rural areas registering the year's strongest growth, according to announcements from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and Enel Colombia.
Read moreColombia's National Business Council (Consejo Gremial Nacional) rejected the government's use of the economic emergency declaration to introduce structural changes, while supporting urgent measures to address flooding and extreme weather affecting eight departments.
Read moreColombia's Superintendency of Public Services (Superservicios) established a Unified Command Post (PMU) to conduct permanent monitoring of the Caribbean energy market following its intervention in utility company Air-e, which serves over 1.3 million subscribers across the departments of Atlántico, Magdalena, and La Guajira.
Read moreThe government imposed a temporary 2% surcharge on gross revenues of hydroelectric and thermoelectric companies in flood-affected regions, which could generate between CoP$200B and CoP$300B for risk management financing, according to Valora Analitik (February 25, 2026).
Read moreAcolgén raised alarms over economic emergency decrees issued to address Colombia's flooding crisis, warning they could enable government intervention in reservoir operations.
Read moreAnother public dispute erupted between President Gustavo Petro and Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez over energy tariffs, Hidroituango operations, and flood relief policies. The confrontation began when Gutiérrez criticized the government's decision to reject international aid for Córdoba flooding victims, calling the measure "absurd" and stating authorities "like to see people suffer."
Read moreJanuary 2026 analysis of Caribbean electricity market cost composition revealed generation and transmission components dominate consumer bills, according to Codisgen.
Read moreColombia's National Environmental Licensing Agency (ANLA) warned that water inflow to the Urrá hydroelectric reservoir in Córdoba increased dramatically, rising from 485 cubic meters per second at 5:00 a.m. Saturday February 13th to 823 cubic meters per second by monitoring period conclusion, representing approximately 69% increase within 24 hours.
Read moreColombia's national government delivered clean energy access to over 1,500 people in rural Cauca communities historically excluded from electricity service through a solar electrification intervention representing the Colombia Solar program's commitment to closing infrastructure gaps in conflict-affected regions.
Read moreColombia's atypical early 2026 rainfall elevated reservoir levels above 74%, substantially higher than the typical 40% for this traditionally dry period, prompting President Gustavo Petro's administration to request energy price reductions from generators and compliance with new Comisión de Regulación de Energía y Gas (Creg) regulations modifying reliability charge calculations. However, industry associations maintain price reductions reflect normal market dynamics rather than government intervention.
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Last September, we wrote an article about power demand intensity with respect to GDP, income elasticity and regulated usage per household. We also produced a crude forecast to 2030 based on this model. But we only had data to 2Q25. Now we have demand and GDP to 4Q25 so we update the charts.
Read more President Gustavo Petro characterized as an administration milestone the recent Unidad de Planeación Minero-Energética (UPME) report confirming Colombia has surpassed 16% participation of non-conventional clean energies in its national electrical matrix. He’s not exactly correct.
Read moreColombia's national government announced the appointment of electrical engineer Víctor Paternina as Vice Minister of Energy, bringing over 18 years of energy sector experience.
Read moreThe Minister of Mines and Energy, Edwin Palma Egea, appointed Karen Schutt Esmeral as the new expert commissioner of the Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) .
Read morePresident Gustavo Petro urged Colombia's entire business sector to replace coal, gas, and diesel boilers with solar energy during Monday's Cabinet meeting at Casa de Nariño, announcing that government financing for the transition already exists and has been approved.
Read moreColombia's major hydroelectric operators defended their reservoir management practices following President Gustavo Petro's accusations that Urrá and Hidroituango caused severe Córdoba flooding, with responses highlighting both technical explanations and governance contradictions, according to reports from Valora Analitik, EPM, and Portafolio.
Read moreColombia's General Controller (Contraloría General de la República) flagged a presumed loss of CoP$86.054 billion in two Ecopetrol contracts following a 2024 audit, raising fresh concerns about oversight and project management at the state oil company, La República reported on January 19, 2026.
Read moreColombia's wholesale electricity prices have barely declined despite near-record reservoir levels, exposing the disconnect between hydrological abundance and spot market dynamics.
Read moreMinEnergía announced Barrancabermeja will serve as pilot site for “Energy Blocks” (Cuadras Energéticas), an innovative community solar generation model designed to reduce electricity bills up to 60% for low-income households in informal settlements, according to a February 5, 2026 press release.
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Colombia's energy transition is generating measurable momentum, with the government projecting that expanding renewable capacity could deliver cumulative tariff savings of up to CoP$7 trillion for electricity users over the next five years.
Read moreWith heavy rains triggering floods, landslides, and flash floods across multiple regions of Colombia, the Superintendency of Public Utilities (SuperServicios) issued a formal External Circular on February 4, 2026 ordering all electricity and gas service providers to implement preventive and forward-looking risk reduction measures across their infrastructure networks.
Read moreWith reservoirs across Colombia running at elevated levels amid heavy ongoing rainfall, the Ministry of Mines and Energy issued Circular 40008 on February 10, 2026, calling on wholesale electricity market participants—particularly hydroelectric and low-cost technology generators—to embrace the Energy Commission's (CREG) new Low Prices by Technology rules and translate hydrological conditions into lower tariffs for end users.
Read moreColombia's utility industry association Andesco and energy think tank CREE published a study in late January warning of mounting structural risks to the country's natural gas supply, with all three articles covering the same report released on January 28.
Read moreThe Ministry of Mines and Energy issued a formal preventive alert on February 12, ordering wholesale electricity generators to reinforce measures ensuring continuous and safe power supply across Colombia. The directive was issued through Circular 40009, addressed to all agents operating in the wholesale electricity market.
Read moreAfinia, the EPM Group subsidiary that took over power distribution on Colombia's Caribbean coast five years ago, has surpassed the milestone of 20,000 households enrolled in its prepaid electricity scheme — a model that is delivering savings of up to 35% on monthly bills.
Read moreColombia's overall inflation rate stood at 5.35% year-on-year in January 2026, remaining above the central bank's 5% threshold, but official data showed a notable divergence within the energy segment: electricity prices continued falling while natural gas costs kept rising.
Read morePresident Gustavo Petro announced the government is evaluating declaring an Economic, Social and Environmental Emergency in Córdoba and Sucre departments following catastrophic flooding that has claimed 14 lives and devastated the Caribbean region.
Read moreColombia's Environment Ministry and environmental licensing authority ANLA have significantly accelerated renewable energy project approvals under the Petro administration, according to Minister Irene Vélez in an exclusive interview with Valora Analitik published February 4.
Read moreLatin America is entering a new phase of energy transition where success will depend less on renewable capacity additions and more on grid planning, institutional coordination, and community engagement, according to Daniel Díaz, executive secretary of the World Energy Council (WEC) in Colombia.
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Never one to let facts get in the way of a good smokescreen and always looking for an opportunity to denigrate the power generation industry, President Gustavo Petro blames the hydroelectric plants for spilling an excess of water on the unfortunate residents of Colombia’s northwest. He says they did it to raise tariffs by having more power generated by thermal.
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Energy Minister Edwin Palma categorically dismissed the possibility of a blackout in Colombia's Caribbean region, emphasizing regulatory measures taken by the government to ensure continuous service.
Read moreVice Minister of Mines and Energy Karen Schutt announced a comprehensive package of measures to strengthen the Caribbean region's electrical system, including urgent transmission infrastructure works, tariff stabilization, and expanded subsidies for vulnerable users. The government activated exceptional mechanisms to unblock historically delayed investments in this zone.
Read moreThe Constitutional Court provisionally suspended taxes imposed on electricity generators through decrees 1390 of 2025 and legislative decree 0044 of January 21, 2026.
Read moreThe Superintendent of Public Services, Felipe Durán Carrón, conducted an inspection Saturday at the Urrá hydroelectric plant in Córdoba following President Gustavo Petro's attribution of partial responsibility for Caribbean coast flooding to energy generating companies.
Read moreJaime Lombana, spokesperson and lawyer for Air-e’s original owners, the electricity distributor serving Colombia's Atlantic coast departments, sharply rebutted Mines and Energy Minister Edwin Palma's recent suggestion that the company should be liquidated, arguing such action would obscure irregularities committed during 16 months of government intervention.
Read moreThe Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development published its 2026 Environmental Performance Review for Colombia, crediting the country with progressive strengthening of its political and institutional framework for addressing climate change and biodiversity loss over the past decade.
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Colombia has avoided nearly 7 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions during the Petro administration through the entry into operation of clean energy projects including solar, wind, and small hydroelectric facilities, the Mines and Energy Ministry announced on World CO₂ Emissions Reduction Day.
Read moreMy “give back gig” is I work with the electrical engineer’s association (ACIEM) where I get involved in high technology and some energy issues. In that role, I’ve spent a lot of time at ACIEM events (like Enercol) where I got to meet ex-GEB president, Sandra Fonseca and see her discuss sectoral issues. I was somewhat surprised to see she’d left Asoenergia (where she was Executive Director) but then less surprised to see she was running for senator, under the umbrella of Nuevo Liberalismo.
Read moreActing Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres led a dialogue with 40 Colombian ambassadors and diplomatic mission representatives to advance preparations for the First Conference for Transition Beyond Fossil Fuels.
Read moreThe Ministry of Mines and Energy issued a draft resolution for public comment regulating the Colombia Solar program, transforming traditional electricity subsidies into solar self-generation for households in strata 1, 2, and 3 of the National Interconnected System.
Read moreColombia's Constitutional Court suspended President Gustavo Petro's economic emergency decree, halting tax measures targeting petroleum, mining, and other sectors. However, Decree 044 – imposing new levies on electricity generators to finance Air-e – remains in force and is scheduled to take effect February 2, creating legal uncertainty and industry alarm.
Read moreOn January 26, 2026, Ecuador increased Colombian oil transport costs through the Sistema de Oleoducto Transecuatoriano (SOTE) by 900%, from US$3 to US$30 per barrel, triggering Colombia's suspension of electricity exports.
Read moreThe Centro Nacional de Consultoría (CNC) presidential poll conducted January 15-21, 2026 among 2,202 people in 56 municipalities reveals Iván Cepeda maintaining his frontrunner position with 28.2% voter intention, while competition intensifies for second place ahead of Colombia's May 2026 elections.
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Ecuador's Ministry of Environment and Energy asserted that the national electrical system has sufficient capacity to meet daily energy demand with domestic generation, even facing potential limitations on imports from Colombia.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy launched the second phase of the 'Caribe, Cambia tu Energía' program in Suan, Atlántico, targeting 20,000 households across the Caribbean region with appliance replacement initiatives aimed at reducing electricity consumption and lowering utility bills.
Read moreOpinion polls on Colombians’ choices for president come fast and furious these days. For now there are two, perhaps three clear front runners. What if anything can we say about energy policy under each of them?
Read moreColombia's Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) resumed operating with its complete team of six expert commissioners after nearly three years of unprecedented vacancies, following the recent swearing-in of Ángela Álvarez and Adriana Jiménez before Mines and Energy Minister Edwin Palma.
Read moreThe Petro government created two new levies for energy generators under Legislative Decree 044 of 2026, which "adopts measures to ensure the provision of residential electricity public service" while acknowledging a liquidity crisis in the sector.
Read moreColombia's energy sector erupted in protest after the government issued Decree 044 of 2026 under economic emergency powers, imposing two new levies on power generators to address the liquidity crisis affecting intervened companies like Air-e.
Read moreIn a Guarumo-Ecoanalítica poll (Jan 14-22, 4,245 respondents): Iván Cepeda of Pacto Histórico leads with 33.6% support, followed by conservative attorney Abelardo De la Espriella at 18.2%, and Centro Democrático's Paloma Valencia at 6.9%.
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Colombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy issued a resolution suspending International Electricity Transactions (TIE) with Ecuador, responding to tariff measures announced by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa while prioritizing domestic energy security amid climate variability concerns. The decision affects electricity flows representing 8-10% of Ecuador's consumption, according to government data.
Read moreColombia's Environment and Sustainable Development Ministry has opened a public consultation to define the roadmap for implementing the Escazú Agreement, aiming to strengthen environmental democracy and guarantee rights to information, public participation, and environmental justice.
Read moreA new GAD3 poll revealed by Noticias RCN shows Iván Cepeda (Pacto Histórico) leading Colombia's presidential race with 30% voter intention, followed by Abelardo de la Espriella (Defensores de la Patria) at 22%, and Paloma Valencia (Centro Democrático) at 3%. The survey of 1,207 respondents carries a 2.83% margin of error.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy issued a resolution convoking the country's first long-term electricity contracting mechanism, enabling contracts up to 15 years duration to secure energy supply, diversify the electrical matrix, and advance energy transition in compliance with Decree 1091 of 2025.
Read moreBusiness associations and chambers of commerce from Colombia's Caribbean coast endorsed the Ministry of Mines and Energy's proposed CoP$8 per kWh increase electricity tariffs, warning of systemic risk threatening the national electrical grid due to intervened distributor Air-e's mounting debts.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy announced the launch of "Caribe Conectado: Urgent Works for Reliable and Competitive Electric Service," a US$1.7B infrastructure program designed to strengthen the Caribbean region's electrical grid and enable integration of up to 6 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity.
Read moreColombia's Producer Price Index (IPP) registered an annual decline of 2.63% in December 2025 compared to the same month in 2024, according to La República citing DANE data. The IPP measures price changes at the producer level before goods reach consumers, serving as "an early signal of what may happen later with inflation."
Read moreThe Ministry of Mines and Energy allocated CoP$15.176B for electrical grid normalization in neighborhoods across Ciénaga, Sitionuevo, and El Piñón municipalities in Magdalena department, benefiting over 3,500 residents who faced precarious energy service conditions for years.
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An AtlasIntel poll (sponsored by Revista Semana) conducted January 5-8, 2026, reveals Abelardo de la Espriella leading Colombia's presidential race with 28% voter intention, narrowly ahead of Iván Cepeda at 26.5%. The survey of 4,520 participants carries a 1% margin of error for general results and 3% for party consultations, with 95% confidence level.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy published a study examining energy distribution areas and potential alternatives to maximize efficiency and operability. These distribution areas define tariff rules across territories, meaning two users with identical energy consumption can pay different amounts depending on their location.
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Huila and Arauca lead Colombia's departments with the most expensive electricity rates, a situation that could worsen with the Ministry of Mines and Energy's draft decree proposing a temporary CoP$8/kWh surcharge for National Interconnected System (SIN) users.
Read moreColombia confronts unexpected changes to its energy strategy following political upheaval in Venezuela, where Nicolás Maduro was imprisoned and Delcy Rodríguez sworn in as president, with the United States seeking involvement in the neighboring country's affairs.
Read moreThe Fund for Non-Conventional Energies and Efficient Energy Management (Fenoge), in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), concluded the EN-Comunidad initiative by delivering five technical studies for energy system evaluation and characterization, plus 50 structured projects promoting energy solutions across 43 Colombian territories, including Bogotá.
Read morePresident Gustavo Petro announced the national government's willingness to allocate COP$1.5 trillion for purchasing an electric fleet for Bogotá's TransMilenio system, opposing the proposed COP$350 fare increase that would raise the ticket price to COP$3,550.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy is preparing a significant adjustment to its proposed COP$8 per kilowatt-hour surcharge designed to address Air-e's COP$2.5T debt accumulated through November 2025.
Read moreColombia's next president will inherit an energy sector on red alert—not from ideological debate but from accumulated tensions manifesting as supply problems, financial blackout risks, misguided energy transition, and insufficient progress reducing energy poverty. After three decades of relative stability, the system faces simultaneous crisis factors.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy announced sustained electricity tariff reductions resulting from government measures to correct accelerated increases inherited at the beginning of President Gustavo Petro's administration.
Read morePresident Gustavo Petro announced the Colombian government will provide COP$52 million to taxi owners who replace gasoline, diesel, or gas vehicles with electric ones, as part of a comprehensive fleet modernization program targeting 54,000 taxis by 2036.
Read moreColombia's national government, through the Ministry of Mines and Energy and Ministry of Defense, deployed a comprehensive emergency plan guaranteeing fuel supply and electrical service continuity in Mitú, Vaupés, and Puerto Inírida, Guainía, following historic low river levels in the Guaviare and Unilla rivers that disrupted regular transport to Non-Interconnected Zones.
Read moreNicolás Maduro's detention and U.S. involvement in Venezuela have upended President Gustavo Petro's energy strategy for Colombia, which centered on electrical interconnection with Venezuela rather than continued gas imports from the United States.
Read morePresident Gustavo Petro's surprise 23% minimum wage increase for 2026 forced Colombian financial analysts to hastily revise their macroeconomic projections on New Year's Eve, with expectations shifting dramatically for inflation, GDP, dollar exchange rates, and unemployment.
Read moreColombia's Ministry of Minas y Energía published a draft resolution proposing a controversial COP$8 per kilowatt-hour surcharge on all users nationwide to address Air-e's COP$2-3 trillion debt, sparking fierce debate about who should bear the burden of the Caribbean energy distributor's financial collapse.
Read moreThe Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) announced that expert commissioner Ángela Álvarez was sworn in on Friday, January 2, 2026, joining the entity's technical team.
Read moreFollowing the failed tax reform that sought COP$16.3T, President Gustavo Petro's government issued an economic emergency decree attempting tax modifications to obtain budget resources. The executive justified the measure citing systemic risk in the energy sector.
Read moreIndira Portocarrero assumed leadership of Colombia's Mining-Energy Planning Unit (UPME), becoming the first woman to hold this position. The entity, attached to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, plays a key role in planning Colombia's energy policy.
Read moreIt is January and time to both look back at what we predicted for 2025 and look forward to what might happen in 2026. Spoiler alert: elections and weather will play a big role.
Read moreColombia's energy sector faces a convergent triple crisis as 2026 approaches, with analysts warning that inadequate generation capacity expansion, declining gas production requiring costly imports, and Caribbean operators' financial collapse threaten national energy security and potential rationing.
Read morePresident Gustavo Petro categorically rejected industry warnings about potential power outages in Colombia, asserting the country possesses sufficient resources to guarantee service to households and industries.
Read moreColombia's National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA) issued a sharp rebuke to Natalia Gutiérrez, president of the Colombian Association of Power Generators (Acolgen), demanding rectification of statements alleging delays in environmental licensing for renewable energy projects in La Guajira.
Read moreBogotá confronts a growing fiscal challenge as the explosive growth in hybrid and electric vehicle registrations threatens to erode a critical revenue source—the gasoline surcharge that funds mass transit systems and infrastructure projects.
Read moreColombia's Caribbean region has become the epicenter of the country's electrical problems, concentrating 91.66% of zones classified as "electrically subnormal" across the entire nation.
Read moreColombia faces a critical energy capacity deficit threatening potential rationing as early as 2026-2027, as surging demand outpaces generation capacity expansion.
Read moreColombia's Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) promotes regulatory frameworks to integrate hydrogen into the national energy system as part of the country's energy transition strategy, according to CREG Commissioner Fanny Guerrero.
Read moreThe National Association of Power Generators (ANDEG) president Alejandro Castañeda identified multiple Petro administration decisions as damaging Colombia's electricity sector, particularly modifications to the reliability charge mechanism that altered generator risk profiles, made auctions unattractive to new participants, and changed established market rules.
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