EPM readies evacuation ahead of final Hidroituango test

Communities surrounding Colombia's controversial Hidroituango project will be evacuated next week to allow for final tests of the power plant's first two turbines, owner Empresas Publicas de Medellín (EPM) said.

The affected municipalities will be Briceño, Valdivia, Cáceres and Tarazá, according to Medellín city mayor and EPM chairman Daniel Quintero.

"We expect an evacuation of about 3,500 people and an agreement has been made with the action committees of all the communities," Quintero told reporters.

"What we need to do is a particular test, a safe test. In practical terms, the evacuation doesn't need to be carried out. But it's an additional measure to guarantee safety."

Last week, EPM said it avoided the prospect of multimillion-dollar fines after declaring the troubled 2.4GW hydroelectric project ready for commercial operations.

The announcement came just hours before a deadline imposed by energy sector regulator Creg for the first two turbines to come online. 

Originally slated to begin operating in 2018, Hidroituango has been delayed by a series of construction problems. The plant is expected to provide 17% of Colombia's electricity when completed.