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EPM seeking bids for construction of Ituango hydroelectric project final civil works

EPM seeking bids for construction of Ituango hydroelectric project final civil works

Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) has opened up a public request for offers for the construction of final civil works for the entry into commercial operation of generating units 5 through 8 of the 2.4 GW Ituango Hydroelectric Project.

The Ituango powerhouse will contain eight turbine-generator units, each with an installed capacity of 300 MW. It will supply electricity for the National Interconnected System (SIN).

In December 2022, EPM announced the launch of commercial operations at Ituango after completing final tests of the first two turbine-generator units. The plant, on the Cauca River in the Antioquia department of northwestern Colombia, started delivering continuous electricity supply from 600 MW of capacity to the national grid, four years later than originally planned.

Ituango has suffered a series of construction problems that first became apparent when an auxiliary tunnel collapsed in April 2018, eight months before the plant was due to begin operating.

Click here for more information on this bidding opportunity.

EPM, whose majority shareholder is the city of Medellín, is aiming to complete the project in 2024, providing 17% of Colombia’s electricity demand from eight units.