Peru's Cálidda expands gas client base

Peruvian natural gas distributor Cálidda increased its client base by 27% last year, according to parent firm Empresa Energía de Bogotá (EEB).

The number of customers rose to 438,000 as of December 31 from 345,000 a year earlier, EEB said in an investor report on Thursday.

Operating revenue fell 0.9% to US$536mn while net income jumped 65% to US$55.4mn.

Owned by EEB and fellow Colombian firm Promigas, Cálidda holds a 33-year concession for natural gas distribution in Lima and Callao.

Meanwhile EEB Transmisión invested US$179mn in 2016, up 51% on the previous year.

The company increased its participation in Colombia's transmission grid to 12.66% from 11.71%.

EEB Transmisión has some 12 projects under construction, the most advanced of which is the 230kV Armenia-Líneas line, which is 96% complete and due online on April 17.

Nine other projects are on track to begin commercial operations by the end of the year, the utility said.

Colombian natural gas transporter TGI, another EEB subsidiary, saw firm capacity contracts edge 0.1% higher in 2016 to 673Mf3/d (205Mm3/d) while transport volumes fell 5.4% to 494Mf3/d.