‘El Niño’ Cuts Antioquia’s Hydropower Reserves: XM
Medellin-based XM — Colombia’s national electric-power grid operator and its national wholesale energy-market trading platform – announced October 5 that the “El Niño” drought phenomenon this fall has cut hydropower reserves and consequently has boosted the call upon thermoelectric plants.
Colombia’s aggregate national hydropower reservoir level has dipped to 63.97%, down from 73.97% in September, according to XM. Meanwhile, thermoelectric generation in September rose to 32.66% of total Colombian electric power generation.
“The rational use of water and energy should always be practiced, especially in these times, as we are seeing one of the strongest events of El Niño of the past 60 years,” according to XM CEO Luis Alejandro Camargo.
“Although we are not currently at risk of [power] rationing, we join the call of the national government that Colombians should moderate consumption” of water and power, he added.
Hydropower water reserves in Antioquia — an especially large source of Colombia’s power- generation capacity — have dipped to 60%. Meanwhile, Valle del Cauca reserves have fallen below 20%, “an unprecedented level for this time of year,” according to XM .
While thermoelectric generation has increased recently, “this effort must be increased until the thermoelectric [generation] constitutes more than 40% of the average daily generation,” added XM national dispatch director Nohemí Maria Arboleda.
