Colombia's ISA eyeing new transmission project

Colombian power transmission group ISA plans to participate in the bidding process to build infrastructure that will connect planned wind farms in La Guajira department to the national grid.

Company president Bernardo Vargas Gibsone made the comment during ISA's third quarter results conference call.

Guajira poses environmental and social challenges that require extensive preparation, which ISA will begin even before such tenders are launched, he added.

Mining and energy planning unit UPME will accept offers for the 500kV Colectora project on January 30.

Year-to-date in Colombia, ISA has won the 500kV line Copey-Cuestecitas and 220kV line Copey-Fundación project, and the installation and operation of a transformer bay at the El Bosque substation.

Read Colombia's ISA builds up project portfolio

When asked about Brazil's December transmission auction, Vargas said he expects a competitive process with a lot of interest from new players, such as companies from India and China.

Read Brazil launches US$2.8bn transmission tender

For his part, CFO Carlos Alberto Rodríguez López reiterated ISA's capex plan for 2017-21 that reaches 11.9tn pesos (US$3.935bn), of which 87.7% will be for energy.

ISA's 3Q17 earnings report is available here