With 6.3 GW of transmission capacity that the Colombian government announced it had released to facilitate the connection of new projects in May 2026, the expansion of electricity networks continues to be one of the main challenges to incorporate renewable generation and respond to the growth in energy demand.
The problem is especially relevant in La Guajira, where the development of wind and solar projects depends on the availability of infrastructure to transport electricity to the main consumption centers.
In this scenario, Javier Ruiz , general manager of Hitachi Energy Colombia, warned about the need to accelerate the processes that are delaying various transmission initiatives.
“Without transmission there is no transition,” he stated during the streaming program “It Had to Be Said and It Was Said ,” by Energía Estratégica , referring to the difficulties the country faces in realizing its portfolio of renewable projects.
The executive stated that one of the main challenges is to streamline administrative decisions and make progress in resolving the obstacles that affect the development of new infrastructure.
“We are on a path to fluidity, to stop having documents that should be processed quickly sitting in drawers, and that wasn't happening,” he said.
According to Ruiz, there are signs that these efforts will be accelerated, although he stressed that the progress of the energy transition will depend on the decisions actually being translated into concrete projects.
One of the main examples of this problem is the 500 kV Collector , a strategic infrastructure to transport renewable generation from La Guajira and Cesar to the National Interconnected System (SIN).
According to the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the project reached 90% completion in July 2026 and its commissioning will allow the integration of new renewable generation capacity into the Colombian electricity system.
The infrastructure includes a 500 kV transmission line intended to connect generation projects located in the north of the country with the rest of the national grid.
However, its development has faced difficulties related to prior consultation processes, coordination with communities, and implementation schedules.
In July 2026, the Ministry of Mines and Energy also presented a regulatory proposal to prevent renewable projects from being harmed by delays in the transmission works on which their entry into operation depends.
The initiative sought to establish mechanisms to adjust certain timelines when delays were not attributable to the developers.
Subsequently, in August, the Government issued Resolution 40387 of 2026, aimed at strengthening the coordination mechanisms between authorities, Wayuu indigenous communities and companies linked to renewable projects and transmission lines in La Guajira.
These measures reflect the need to simultaneously address the technical, regulatory, and territorial challenges that condition the expansion of electricity.
For Ruiz, resolving the obstacles affecting the networks is essential for new renewable capacity to be incorporated into the system .
Hitachi focuses on batteries and technologies to strengthen the grid
In addition to unblocking the transmission infrastructure, Ruiz pointed out that the Colombian system needs to incorporate new technologies to support the growth of renewable energy.
“Storage is absolutely necessary. It will give the system flexibility,” he said.
However, batteries are not the only solution. The executive also highlighted the importance of STATCOM equipment and synchronous compensators , technologies that contribute to voltage stability and strengthen the electrical grid.
“It is necessary to incorporate some elements that strengthen the system. And that is achieved through power electronics solutions,” he pointed out.
In this segment, Hitachi Energy offers solutions related to high-voltage equipment, automation, and digitalization, which allow for supporting renewable expansion with greater operating and control capabilities.
The horizon of wind power generation
The evolution of the electrical infrastructure will also condition the incorporation of wind power projects, particularly in northern Colombia, where a significant part of the generation potential is concentrated.
Ruiz believes that the development of this technology will face a gradual recovery process, linked to the resolution of the obstacles that currently affect the projects.
“There needs to be a breakthrough so that the wind can finally get in,” he said.
Along those lines, he estimated that Colombia should have its first wind power projects fully integrated into the system before 2030 .
“I don’t think it will be immediate. But before 2030 we need to have the first wind turbines fully integrated into our system,” he said.
According to the executive, the need to incorporate new generation also responds to the prospects for growth in electricity demand, which will require strengthening the country's supply capacity.
Thus, Colombia's challenge is not limited to adding renewable projects, but to guaranteeing the necessary conditions so that they can deliver their energy to the system .
In this context, the expansion of networks, the incorporation of storage, and the development of stabilization technologies appear as complementary elements to accompany an energy transition that will depend both on the new generation and on the infrastructure capable of integrating it.