General News

Medellin Retains ‘AAA’ Debt Rating Despite EPM’s Hidroituango Problems

Medellin Herald November 17, 2018

Wall Street bond rater Fitch announced November 16 that it has affirmed Medellin’s favorable “AAA(col)” long-term debt rating despite the financial challenges facing city-owned electric utility EPM because of problems with the giant “Hidroituango” hydroelectric power project. According to

General News

Big Step Forward for Medellin, EPM: Hidroituango Spillway-Startup Marks Recovery

Medellin Herald November 5, 2018

Medellin-based electric power giant EPM on November 4 heralded the start-up of the engineered spillway over the giant “Hidroituango” hydroelectric project in Antioquia (see photo, above). That start-up soon will allow EPM to close a makeshift diversion tunnel through the dam, ensure steady, safe, adequate water-flow of the Cauca River downstream of the dam, and […]

Congresses & Conferences

Medellin Bird Festival 2018: Balancing Environmental, Economic Imperatives

Medellin Herald October 12, 2018

More than 1,540 in-person attendees this month at the 5th annual Medellin Bird Festival (Festival de las Aves Medellin 2018) October 3-6 got a bird’s-eye view of how companies, governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) here are trying to find creative ways to balance environmental and economic conflicts. The growing, annual Medellin Bird Festivals –

General News

Crucial ‘Pacifico 1’ Highway Construction Ramps-Up Following Long Delays

Medellin Herald October 3, 2018

The “Corvipacifico” construction consortium announced in late September that it is cranking-up construction works on the long-delayed “Pacifico 1” highway between Medellin and Bolombolo. That highway will connect (via a new bridge across the Cauca River) with the under-construction “Pacifico 2” highway linking Bolombolo to La Pintada  — both straddling the Cauca

General News

EPM Slams Antioquia Gov. Luis Perez Over Hidroituango, ‘Blacklisting’ Claims

Medellin Herald October 2, 2018

In an October 2 press conference, EPM general manager Jorge Londoño de la Cuesta contradicted new claims made by Antioquia Governor Luis Perez over supposed contractor errors or negligence surrounding the troubled “Hidroituango” hydroelectric power project in Antioquia. Gov. Perez claims that construction contractor Consorcio TIFS didn’t comply with the original schedule

Congresses & Conferences

Massive Electric-Vehicle Adoption Would Slash Pollution: Medellin EV Conference

Medellin Herald September 27, 2018

More than 500 attendees from 11 nations attending the “Second International Conference on Electric Mobility” in Medellin September 25-26 heard from dozens of international and national experts on the need to speed-up the nascent adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) here. Such an acceleration of EV adoption would slash air pollution, improve public health, reduce

Events

How to Celebrate 5th Annual Medellin Bird Festival October 3-8, 2018

Medellin Herald September 19, 2018

The Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitologia (SAO, the Medellin ornithological society) announced September 19 that the fifth annual “Festival de las Aves de Medellin” will take flight October 3 to October 8. All local Festival programs — including lectures by national and international experts, special learning workshops and guided, local bird walks — are

General News

Medellin’s ‘Regional Norte’ Highway Wins Debottlenecking Project Finance

Medellin Herald September 14, 2018

The Antioquia departmental government (Gobernacion de Antioquia) and the Area Metropolitana del Valle de Aburra (AMVA, the association of Medellin regional governments) announced September 13 that financing has been secured for a major debottlenecking project of the “Regional Norte” highway between Medellin, Bello and Copacabana. The current highway suffers huge traffic

Congresses & Conferences

‘Expotravel,’ ‘Expocamacol’ Shows Boost Medellin and Colombia for Business, Nature, Cultural Tourism

Medellin Herald September 6, 2018

Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (“MinCit”) announced September 5 that the “Colombia Travel Expo 2018” at the Hotel Intercontinental in Medellin this week is seen generating at least COP$15 billion (US$4.8 million) in immediate business deals. Meanwhile, the recently concluded “Expocamacol” building-construction trade show at Medellin’s Plaza Mayor

General News

Update: EPM Reveals Assumptions About Hidroituango Financial-Recuperation Plan

Medellin Herald September 3, 2018

Medellin-based multinational electric-power giant EPM on September 9 revealed in a presentation to the Medellin City Council key financial assumptions about its proposed sale of assets and other measures to cover losses arising from the Hidroituango hydroelectric project diversion-tunnel collapse. “Among other issues, we highlight that in the case of the Hidroituango