EPM Debuts Hidroituango Highway, Touts Social Reconstruction Projects

Medellin-based electric power giant EPM on November 8 debuted a new, 550-meters-long highway atop its US$5 billion “Hidroituango” hydroelectric dam – and almost simultaneously highlighted numerous social reconstruction projects in communities affected by a May 2018 flood downstream of the dam.

The highway on top of the new dam — which spans the Cauca River just upstream of Puerto Valdivia — connects with 23 kilometers of newly built, adjoining highways between neighboring communities around the town of Ituango, according to EPM.

The new highway from the Toledo valley runs along the right bank of the Cauca River reservoir (behind the dam) to the western portal of a new road tunnel, then crosses the dam along its crest and, on the left side, continues its route to El Bombillo– and from there towards the urban center of Ituango.

Social Recovery Projects

Meanwhile, in response to damage from last year’s flood, EPM also touted the upcoming construction of a new “Simon Bolivar” bridge in the municipality of Valdivia. On a related front, in the municipality of Tarazá , EPM launched improvements to the structure of the “El Doce” bridge — aiming to ensure structural conditions “superior to those that existed before,” according to the company.

“Parallel to these interventions, upgrades were completed in seven of 11 [nearby] educational institutions: Nutabes, La Paulina, Playa Rica, Puquí, Zorras, Marco A. Rojo and Cachirimé, [as well as] El Pescado , Barca Cautiva, Puerto Nery and Palomas, [the latter four of which] will be upgraded under a social contracting strategy with each community action board,” according to EPM.

“Other works of greater amplitude are the El Turcó and Palestine bridges which are waiting for environmental permits to advance the contractual process. In addition, [there will be construction of] an integrated community center and a health clinic in a lot that EPM acquired from the National Narcotics Directorate. The start of these constructions is planned for the second half” of 2020, according to the company.

On a related front, of the 2,250 residents of Puerto Valdivia evacuated last year because of the temporary flood, 1,908 (85%) have returned to the area. EPM is continuing projects to restore and refurbish damaged homes, businesses and public spaces, according to the company.

“Progress is being made in the process of recognizing impacts to formal and informal economic activities, as a result of preventive evacuation in Puerto Valdivia,” according to EPM. “To date, 163 complaints [from affected persons] have been processed, of which 126 have accepted [EPM’s compensation] offers. A total of 112 merchants [also] have received agreed-to payments from EPM,” the company added.