Colombia’s flagship energy infrastructure project, the Hidroituango hydroelectric power plant, is entering its final construction phase, with full commercial operation targeted by early 2028. The project, located in the Cauca River canyon, is now more than 93% complete and is already supplying power to the national grid. Once finished, all eight turbines will be operational, delivering a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts and supplying around 17% of Colombia’s total electricity demand, positioning the Hidroituango hydroelectric power plant as a cornerstone of national energy security.
The scale of the Hidroituango hydroelectric power plant underscores its strategic importance. The dam rises 225 meters, surpassing Medellin’s Coltejer building, and forms a reservoir stretching nearly 80 kilometers with a storage volume of approximately 2,720 million cubic meters. At the core of the project is an underground machine house carved into the canyon, measuring 240 meters long and 49 meters high. Inside, eight Francis-type turbines, each rated at 300 megawatts, are designed to operate in parallel, transforming the Cauca River’s flow into large-scale baseload power for the country.
Four turbines are already generating 1,200 megawatts, while work has shifted to the south wing of the cavern to complete units 5 through 8. This final phase is being executed by a consortium led by Yellow River and Schrader Camargo, which secured the contract in late 2023. The remaining units are scheduled to come online in a staggered sequence, allowing the grid to absorb new capacity gradually and enabling engineers to carry out extensive testing before full commercial operation of the Hidroituango hydroelectric power plant.
Progress marks a major recovery from the 2018 tunnel collapse that forced engineers to flood the machine house to protect the dam, leaving the south wing buried under mud and debris. Recent updates confirm that crews have reached “point zero,” with sediment removed, rock faces stabilized, and concrete works ready to proceed. The recovery effort involved removing thousands of tons of material and reinforcing the cavern to withstand turbine vibrations. Total investment in the project is estimated at around US$5.5 billion, with approximately US$263 million allocated to the final turbine installation alone. Beyond power generation, the project has created thousands of regional jobs and is expected to improve long-term electricity supply stability as Colombia continues to expand its energy infrastructure.
