The reliability charge auction held in Colombia for the 2029-2030 period has determined which companies will lead the country's next renewable energy expansion. The process awarded approximately 1.8 GW of renewable capacity through long-term contracts and consolidated the position of both established utilities and new international solar developers.
Among the most prominent companies are Enel Colombia, AES Colombia, Celsia, Atlas Renewable Energy, Matrix Renewables, Acciona Energía and X-Elio , along with local companies that continue to expand their presence within the Colombian energy transition.
The tender also reaffirms the progress of solar photovoltaics within the national electricity system. The majority of the awarded projects correspond to this technology, although hydroelectric plants continue to play a key role in ensuring reliability.
One of the most favored actors in the auction was Enel Colombia , which managed to position both solar and hydroelectric assets strategic for the system.
Among the awarded projects are the Atlántico Photovoltaic solar parks, with approximately 199.5 MW , as well as El Paso, Fundación, Guayepo, Guayepo III and Latam Solar La Loma .
The company also incorporated hydroelectric plants such as Betania, El Quimbo and Guavio , reinforcing a technological diversification strategy that combines solar generation with hydraulic backup.
This award further solidifies Enel's already established presence in the Colombian renewable energy market. The company operates some of the country's main photovoltaic assets, including La Loma , located in Cesar, with a capacity of approximately 187 MWdc , considered one of the largest solar parks in Colombia.
Added to this are other solar developments such as El Paso and Fundación , which continue to advance in different stages of expansion and operation.
Another company with a strong presence in the process was AES Colombia , linked to both solar projects and hydroelectric generation.
The company appears to be associated with AES Solar 3 and the Chivor hydroelectric plant, one of the most important assets for the stability of the Colombian electrical system.
AES already has active renewable energy operations in the country, including hydroelectric, solar, and wind power developments in La Guajira. It currently reports over 1,100 MW of installed operational capacity in Colombia and is developing a wind energy cluster in the north of the country in partnership with Ecopetrol.
For its part, Celsia Colombia once again consolidated its position as one of the most active players in non-conventional renewable energies.
Among the awards, the Córdoba Solar Park stands out, associated with about 200 MW , in addition to the Sirius Wind Park , one of the most anticipated renewable developments in the Colombian market.
The utility also added hydroelectric plants such as Alban, Calima and Salvajina , strengthening the hydraulic backup in the face of the growth of intermittent renewables.
Celsia already has multiple operational solar parks and continues to expand its portfolio through acquisitions and new solar and wind developments.
The auction also resulted in a strong consolidation of international developers specializing in utility-scale solar.
One of the most representative cases is Atlas Renewable Energy , which has already formally entered operation in Colombia with the Shangri-La solar park, located in Tolima.
The 201 MWp project was inaugurated in November 2025 and became Atlas's first operational asset in the country. The plant will generate approximately 403.7 GWh annually and is part of the company's strategy to reach 1 GW of renewable energy in Colombia.
Alongside Atlas are other international developers such as Matrix Renewables, Acciona Energía Colombia and X-Elio , linked to the growth of utility scale renewable generation within the Colombian market.
In the case of Acciona, the company already maintains activity in the development of renewable projects and associated energy infrastructure works in the country.
The auction also opened up space for players that do not yet have confirmed operational renewable projects in Colombia, such as Matrix Renewables, Eagle Energy SLU, Qi Energy and Vanguard Renewables , companies that now manage to position themselves within the reliability scheme and could accelerate their operational launch during the next few years.
Hydroelectric power plants remain key to reliability
Although solar power largely dominated the awards, the bidding process once again demonstrated the importance that hydroelectricity maintains within the Colombian system.
Companies like Isagen, EPM and URRÁ continue to be pillars of national renewable generation thanks to their historical hydroelectric assets.
At the same time, both Isagen and EPM have been diversifying their portfolios with solar projects and alliances linked to new renewable technologies.
The combination of solar and hydropower aims to provide greater resilience to the Colombian electricity system in the face of extreme weather scenarios and the sustained growth of energy demand towards the end of the decade.
Within the distributed generation and solutions segment for industrial and commercial clients, companies such as Erco Energy and Evolusun are also gaining ground with solar projects geared towards self-consumption and solar roofs for the C&I sector.
At a technological level, Nordex Colombia maintains a presence mainly as a supplier of wind turbines for wind power projects.
Petro questions the auction
After the results were announced, President Gustavo Petro publicly questioned the auction and reiterated his disagreements regarding the functioning of the Colombian electricity market.
The statements generated noise within the sector due to the possible impact on regulatory signals and the perception of stability for future long-term investments.
However, the magnitude of the award and the participation of multiple international companies show that Colombia continues to position itself as one of the most attractive renewable energy markets in Latin America.
The result sends a double signal for the energy sector: a significant acceleration of new renewable capacity towards 2030 and a political context that will continue to be closely monitored by developers, utilities and international investors.