At a binational meeting held in Panama, which included the participation of top-level authorities from both nations, Panama's National Secretary of Energy, Rodrigo Rodríguez J., stated: "The interconnection with Colombia is more than a technical project: it is an opportunity to strengthen energy integration and, above all, to bring electricity to communities that are still waiting for this basic service."
"This is about settling a historical social debt, and that is the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Panama."
The meeting was inaugurated by the Minister of the Presidency of Panama, Juan Carlos Orillac, who emphasized the importance of the binational project: "Today we are launching an effort that transcends governments; it is a firm step to guarantee energy, development and opportunities for our nations and, especially, for the communities that need it most."
Colombia's Minister of Environment, Irene Vélez, noted that her country already has an Environmental Impact Study submitted in December 2024, while Panama's Vice Minister of Environment, Óscar Vallarino, indicated that his Ministry is awaiting Panama's Environmental Impact Study, expected in November of this year, and that this document will be key to advancing the heritage and social assessment process of the project.
Colombia's Minister of Mines and Energy, Edwin Palma, emphasized that the project must reach a "point of no return," based on political will and the capacity for effective coordination between both countries to untangle obstacles and guarantee concrete results.
For her part, ASEP administrator Zelmar Rodríguez stressed the need to establish fair and sustainable remuneration schemes, warning that the lack of integration leaves countries in a fragile position and that the safety and dignity of communities must be at the center of regulatory decisions.
Multilateral banks also expressed their support. Gloria Lugo, representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and Marta Lucía Ramírez, representative of CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, expressed their interest in continuing to support the project through financing, exploring viable and sustainable schemes that will allow the interconnection to materialize for the benefit of both nations and regional integration.
The Colombia-Panama project is thus consolidated as a strategic investment that will strengthen energy security, provide greater stability to the electricity supply and open new opportunities for competitiveness.
Among those present were the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac; the National Secretary of Energy, Rodrigo Rodríguez; the Minister of Environment of Colombia, Irene Vélez; the Vice Minister of Environment of Panama, Óscar Vallarino; the Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia, Edwin Palma; the administrator of ASEP, Zelmar Rodríguez; the executive director of CREG of Colombia, Antonio Jiménez Rivera; the representatives of the IDB and CAF, Gloria Lugo and Marta Lucía Ramírez; as well as Jorge Jaramillo, manager of ICP, Roy Morales, general manager of ETESA, and Jorge Andrés Carrillo, president of the ISA Group.