Colombia has accumulated 5080.27 MW of clean capacity within the 6GW+ Plan , between assets in operation and projects that are still going through their testing stage, a figure that leaves the country close to the objective set for the period between August 2022 and August 2026.
Of that volume, 3843.15 MW are already in operation and another 1237.12 MW remain in testing , according to the update from the Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME) as of August 20, 2026.
But behind this growth lies a marked technological concentration. Solar energy accounts for 5014.73 MW, equivalent to 98.7% of the total , while wind power reaches only 41 MW—all in testing—and small hydroelectric plants add 24.54 MW.
In terms of share of the total installed capacity of the system, clean energy sources represent 20.72%, equivalent to 5.08 GW , compared to a mix where hydropower still accounts for 53.92% with 13.22 GW and thermal generation another 25.36% with 6.22 GW . Together, hydropower, solar, and wind sources bring the share of technologies considered clean by the UPME to 74.64% of installed capacity .
This expansion is not solely due to large power plants. The project base of the 6GW+ Plan shows that 3113.60 MW, around 61.3% of the total capacity, corresponds to centralized generation by 113 projects , but the rest is distributed among different modalities that are gaining greater importance within the system.
Small-scale self-generation totals 740.83 MW across 28,491 registered projects , while large-scale self-generation represents 644.30 MW across 100 projects, and distributed generation another 581.54 MW across 635 projects. Together, these three categories exceed 1,966 MW , representing approximately 39% of the total capacity included in the UPME database.
At the same time, a substantial portion of the megawatts remain concentrated in large-scale projects. Guayepo leads the way with 370 MW of solar capacity in operation , followed by Puerta de Oro Solar Park with 300 MW; Guayepo III with 200 MW; Atlántico with 180 MW currently undergoing testing; Shangri-La with 160 MW; and Latam Solar La Loma with 150 MW.
The territorial distribution is also uneven. Atlántico leads with around 1,089 MW , followed by Cesar with approximately 595 MW, Tolima with 461 MW, Cundinamarca with 415 MW and Valle del Cauca with 361 MW, according to the sum of the projects included in the official database.
This expansion is not solely due to large power plants. The project base of the 6GW+ Plan shows that 3113.60 MW, around 61.3% of the total capacity, corresponds to centralized generation , but the rest is distributed among different modalities that are gaining greater importance within the system.
Small-scale self-generation totals 740.83 MW across 28,491 registered projects , while large-scale self-generation represents 644.30 MW across 100 projects, and distributed generation another 581.54 MW across 635 projects. Together, these three categories exceed 1,966 MW , representing approximately 39% of the total capacity included in the UPME database.
At the same time, a substantial portion of the megawatts remain concentrated in large-scale projects. Guayepo leads the way with 370 MW of solar capacity in operation , followed by Puerta de Oro Solar Park with 300 MW; Guayepo III with 200 MW; Atlántico with 180 MW currently undergoing testing; Shangri-La with 160 MW; and Latam Solar La Loma with 150 MW.
The territorial distribution is also uneven. Atlántico leads with around 1,089 MW , followed by Cesar with approximately 595 MW, Tolima with 461 MW, Cundinamarca with 415 MW and Valle del Cauca with 361 MW, according to the sum of the projects included in the official database.
The new capacity opens the challenge of diversifying and providing stability.
The rapid growth of photovoltaics is especially relevant given the current state of the Colombian electricity system. The country not only needs to incorporate new generation capacity, but also to ensure that this capacity can meet peak demand, supplement hydroelectric power, and increase reliability in the face of periods of low water levels .
Continue reading
This need was reflected in the recent long-term electricity supply auction. The process awarded 995 MW of solar capacity and 100 MW of associated battery storage systems , concentrated in six plants and sold by four companies: Bosques Solares de los Llanos 8, Empresas Públicas de Medellín, Celsia, and Enel Colombia. The contracts will have a duration of 15 years and will begin supplying power in 2030.
Only two of the awarded plants will incorporate batteries: Bosques Solares de los Llanos 8 and Celsia's Andromeda Solar Park . The process also failed to award the contract for the product designed to serve the 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM time slot due to insufficient competition.
The gap between solar generation available during the day and supply needs at night thus positions storage as one of the necessary components to accompany the next stage of renewable expansion .
In fact , Celsia revealed after the process that it managed to award the maximum volume allowed under the rules of Product 3, intended for renewables accompanied by storage, but the assigned capacity represents only 25% of the hybrid portfolio that the company had prepared for the auction .
The remaining 75% will seek outlets through bilateral contracts, future auctions and other marketing mechanisms , the company explained, which anticipates that there is an additional portfolio of solar projects with batteries beyond the volumes finally awarded.
The discussion also comes at a time of international cost reductions for the technology. The levelized cost of four-hour BESS systems fell 27% year-on-year to $78 per MWh , while CAPEX decreased by 31%, according to data from BloombergNEF and Ember compiled by Energía Estratégica.
However, the Colombian deployment is still in its early stages. The country has around 50 MW of installed storage capacity , while players like ERCO Energía identify the need for stronger regulatory and economic signals and project developing between 600 and 700 MWh over the next few years.
El Niño and demand increase the pressure on the new generation
The incorporation of these resources takes on greater importance given the signals presented by the electrical system. The Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) reports that El Niño is established and strengthening, with a near 97% probability of persisting until early 2027 , according to July data from IDEAM (the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies).
The agency also points out, based on data from XM, lower water inputs, higher temperatures and upward pressure on demand , in a scenario where consumption of the National Interconnected System registers historical highs and exceeds the Firm Energy for the Reliability Charge available.
The shortage is not solely dependent on weather conditions. In May 2026, Colombia's daily demand reached 261 GWh, above the 253 GWh daily used as a reference for recent auctions , while the energy autonomy of the reservoirs went from about 89 days two decades ago to 61 days during the last five years.
Meanwhile, delays in new generation and transmission continue to pose a challenge. According to data released by EPM, only 291 MW of the 4,475 MW of new generation expected by 2026 had come online , while projects in the National Transmission System were experiencing an average delay of 50.3 months.
This entire scenario will be part of the agenda of the new leadership of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, headed by María Nohemí Arboleda , along with the incorporation of Armando José Cuello Navarro as vice minister, an executive who comes to the Government after more than 15 years of experience linked to distribution, marketing and energy infrastructure in Colombia and Peru.
Among the challenges facing the new management are the execution of projects awarded in the long-term auction, the expansion of storage, the management of connection requests and the strengthening of reliability , simultaneously with the increase in demand and the exposure of the hydroelectric park to a new episode of El Niño.
The execution of awarded contracts, the development of energy storage, competition in upcoming tenders, and the decisions of the new administration will be part of the discussion at the Future Energy Summit Colombia , to be held on October 1st in Bogotá . The event will bring together key public and private stakeholders in the sector.