- The project, located in the municipality of La Dorada, department of Caldas, will contribute 83 megawatts of non-conventional renewable energy to the National Interconnected System (SIN, for the Spanish original).
- This is enough power to supply a city of 400,000 people.
- The award of the contract to build the Park to Powerchina International Group Limited, one of the world’s leading wind and solar energy project construction companies, was the final step in the planned contracting processes for the Tepuy Park.
- Of the 199,534 solar panels to be installed at the Tepuy Park, 17,280 have already arrived in Colombia. The works are currently focused on the step-up substation.
In line with Colombia’s energy transition, EPM is moving full power ahead on the construction and start-up of the Tepuy Photovoltaic Solar Park, its first large-scale non-conventional renewable energy project in Colombia, which will diversity its portfolio and energy supply to the community.
EPM awarded the Park’s construction contract under the Balance of System (BOS) modality to Powerchina International Group Limited, Colombian branch. The contract covers the designs; civil works; acquisition and transportation of equipment, materials, and accessories; installation; testing; commissioning, and performance of environmental activities.
The Works’ Progress
Construction of the voltage step-up substation is currently underway, which will enable raising the voltage of the power generated by the Tepuy Photovoltaic Solar Park, to then transport it through a 3.8-kilometer transmission line that is already in place to the Purnio substation of the company CHEC, an affiliate of EPM Group, to then link up with the National Interconnected System (SIN).
Constructora Durán Ocampo SAS is responsible for the civil works. Overall completion of the works currently stands at 68%, including the designs, civil works, acquisition and manufacturing of equipment, and other related activities.
Meanwhile, the firm Hefei JA Solar Technology, which is responsible for supplying the 199,534 bifacial solar panels for the Tepuy Photovoltaic Solar Park, made the fourth delivery of the panel containers of the total of eight scheduled deliveries. On its part, the firm Ayesa Ingeniería y Arquitectura S.A.U., Colombian branch, is responsible for the Project’s contract supervision.
Environmental and Social Management
Based on the commitments made in the environmental management plan, the Project’s construction is being monitored and ongoing relations are maintained with stakeholders in the territory.
Fundación EPM will carry out the activities related to the Environmental Education Plan that is to provide to the schools, community leaders and communities of the rural districts of Santa Helena, Purnio and Guarinocito, located in the area of influence of the Tepuy Photovoltaic Solar Park.
The Plan’s archaeological component has recovered over 3,000 stone (lytic) pieces of evidence as part of the preventive archaeological program, which following their study and classification will be handed over to Universidad de Caldas.
Strategies have also been implemented to communicate the Project’s progress, to disseminate the employment policy and to hire personnel from La Dorada and neighboring municipalities, using to this effect the jobs posting service of Caja de Compensación Familiar de Caldas (CONFA). To date, 89 jobs have been created for the works, 67 of them for people from the region. It is estimated that Tepuy will create over 200 jobs during the construction process.
With the Tepuy Photovoltaic Solar Park, EPM will contribute to the country’s energy transition and to Colombians’ wellbeing and quality of life.