Colombia's Celsia to target 'prosumers'

"We no longer will have consumers but prosumers, a term used to describe the role that combines the actions of an energy producer and a consumer."

The comment is in Colombian power company Celsia's annual report to shareholders and refers to the group's new business strategy which targets the residential, business and city segments.

"We are concentrating on building a client-focused company, managed, not from the assets like a traditional public services company, but a modern company where plants, lines and substations are only a means to improve the quality of life of people," said Celsia president Ricardo Sierra.

The company looks to take advantage of opportunities arising from distributed generation, efficient lighting and energy storage, among other areas.

Celsia expects the new strategy will lead to 1mn clients by 2025 and revenue of US$5bn, half of which is expected to come from these new business areas.

POWER CRISIS

Celsia also reported that its board authorized short-term loan operations with Colombian banking entities for up to 150bn pesos (US$50mn).

The funds will increase financial flexibility in terms of capital needs as the country boosts thermoelectric generation to help offset the impact of lower hydropower output resulting from effects of weather phenomenon El Niño, Celsia said.

In a related note, President Juan Manuel Santos said power savings on Tuesday reached 3.76%, below the 5% goal as part of energy savings campaign Apagar Paga.

Authorities expect to make a decision in the coming days on whether electricity rationing will be instituted.

Mines and energy minister María Lorena Gutiérrez was scheduled to meet with her Ecuadoran counterpart in Cartagena on Wednesday to determine if an increase in power imports from Ecuador is required.

***

UPCOMING BNAMERICAS EVENT

5TH Mexico Infrastructure Summit

Click here to see the agenda and speakers