El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant

El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant is an energy generating plant owned by Enel Colombia, located south of the department of Huila. It uses the waters of the Suaza and Magdalena rivers, has an installed capacity of 400 MW and an average generation of 2,216 Gwh/year, which provides about 4% of the Colombian energy demand.
El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant has a single purpose reservoir of 8,250 hectares and its municipalities of influence are: Gigante, El Agrado, Garzón, Tesalia, Paicol and Altamira. The construction of its works began in 2010 and its operation began in November 2015. The construction investment was USD $ 1,231 million and together with Betania it constitutes a generation chain on the Magdalena River.
The main benefits of El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant for the country are to guarantee the reliability of the energy supply, increase the energy security and stability of the Colombian electricity system and contribute significantly to the Nation's energy self-sufficiency.

2011

June

After learning the Preventive Measures requested by the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development and the CAM for the temporary and immediate suspension of some specific activities, the Company accepts the indication for said specific activities. These measures in no case meant the total suspension of El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant.

July

After an extensive professional career and with great experience in social and community work, Camilo Castrillón Quintero, as of the date joins the Enel Colombia team as the new Head of Resettlement and Economic Activities for El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant.
Community of La Escalereta signs collective resettlement agreement with Enel Colombia. About 1,100 hectares of the Llanos de la Virgen area in the municipality of Altamira, make up the resettlement area for the village of La Escalereta in the municipality of El Agrado.

August

The community of Domingo Arias of the municipality of Paicol, made up of 9 families, was resettled in its entirety. Those who accepted the individual resettlement, in this case 6 families owning a plot of less than 5 hectares, received a plot of 5 hectares and a house, in addition 3 families owning properties larger than 5 hectares, were economically compensated.

September

With over 20 years of professional experience in the energy sector, engineer José Antonio Sarmiento joins the Enel Colombia team as Technical and Deputy Director of El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant.
In a strategic alliance with the Comptroller General of the Republic and the School of Public Administration, ESAP, Enel Colombia led the Basic Participatory Control Course, which aimed to promote methodologies, mechanisms and procedures for citizen participation to monitor public management in the municipalities of the area of direct influence of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant.
After some follow-up field visits by officials of the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development and the Corporación Autónoma del Alto Magdalena, CAM, where it was possible to confirm compliance with the preventive measures and the corrective actions implemented by Enel Colombia, the Ministry of the Environment through Decision 1826 lifted said measures issued in the month of June (Decisions 1096 and 1349) by said entities.

October

The nearly 35 families, 18 with housing and 17 without housing, residents of the Balseadero area in the municipality of Garzón, signed the collective resettlement agreement proposed by Enel Colombia, as a compensation measure for the construction of El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant.

November

A fortuitous archaeological finding was identified on the right bank of the Magdalena River, where the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant is built. Enel Colombia reported this finding to the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History, ICANH, in accordance with the provisions of the Law. Once detected the presence of fragments of vessels in the area known as deposit zone No. 3, the immediate suspension of the construction works was ordered. Likewise, an area of 100 square meters was demarcated in order to avoid ground movement.
Endesa Group companies in Colombia, Enel Colombia, support and present "The World of Art in San Agustín", a book by Efraín Sánchez edited by Villegas Editores, in which through its 240 pages tribute is paid to the historical and archaeological wealth of the department of Huila.

December

In the context of the fulfillment of the commitments acquired in the Consultation Tables of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant, Enel Colombia promoted the construction of 350 homes that benefit the same number households in Garzón.
Enel Colombia officially delivered the "virtual physics and chemistry laboratory, using tools available on the web with a constructivist approach", to the municipality of El Agrado.
Before the community of the municipality of Altamira and with the participation of the Local Administration, Enel Colombia delivered the garbage collection car and the virtual laboratory, as part of the fulfillment of the commitments acquired in the Consultation Tables.
Enel Colombia presented to the Garzón and El Agrado community the design for the viaduct, a mega-work that will replace the old Balseadero bridge, and that will guarantee communication between these two localities that are part of the area of direct influence of El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant, strengthening the economic and tourist development of the region.

2012

January

Assignment of plots for resettlement of communities of La Escalereta and Balseadero. Distribution of plots for development of productive activities carried out to the beneficiaries of the Balseadero and La Escalereta Resettlement Program.

February

With an initial group of two hundred people engaged in different economic activities such as miners, drafters, agricultural workers, fishermen, transporters, among others, an agreement was signed with Enel Colombia, accepting the compensation measure for the Non-Resident population, which will allow the restoration of their employment activity.

March

Within the execution of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant, on March 3, the Magdalena River deviation maneuver was carried out, after the hydrological conditions of the tributary were required to guarantee a safe activity.
As part of the works that were carried out to divert the Magdalena River, the construction of the pre-atage or closure wall (containment) culminated, which will allow diverting the entire flow of the Magdalena River through the diversion tunnel and drying a section of almost 500 meters from the natural bed of the tributary, to advance works referring to the main wall called "presa&rdquo".
Positive results of the first phase of the contingent fish rescue program. During the deviation of the Magdalena River, permanent monitoring and follow-up of fish behavior was carried out throughout the tunnel.
More than 700 people, including fishermen, agricultural workers, sand transporters, and paleros mainly, benefit from the compensation measure proposed by Enel Colombia for the Non-Resident population in the area of direct influence of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant.
Less than two months after signing the compensation agreement for the Non-Resident population of the Direct Influence Area of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant, about 650 people, including fishermen, miners, paleros, agricultural workers and transporters, began the training process that will allow them to access seed capital.

April

In the middle of March 2012, there were floods of the Magdalena River that generated an increase in flows of more than 400 m3/s (cubic meters per second) exceeding the diversion channel, which caused an unforeseen environmental effect on the fish fauna.
Before environmental and control authorities, Enel Colombia carried out the socialization of the advances obtained during the first half of the implementation of the Fish and Fisheries Program.

May

Enel Colombia ofivered water pumping equipment in Altamira. With 20 million pesos in trust funds, the tank car was ofivered to overcome the water shortages that affect the communities of the municipality of Altamira during the summer.
Once the conditions of the Magdalena river level were optimal, Enel Colombia managed to mobilize a new 50-ton ferry towards the Paso el Colegio bridge area.
The 50-ton ferry begins operating for free from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week at Paso El Colegio Bridge, to support the mobility of communities in western Huila.

June

Nearly 1.000 people have accepted the compensation measure for the Non-Resident population and more than 870 have already begun training at the School for Sustainable Development, in agreement with SENA, which will allow them to access seed capital to implement their productive projects.
As planned and in compliance with the provisions of the Environmental License, six weather stations installed by Enel Colombia began operating in the areas of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant.

July

Enel Colombia participated in the follow-up tables to the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant, divided into four themes of interest to the communities: social, environmental, infrastructure and agricultural. These tables were the propitious stage to listen to the voices of the community, who expressed concerns regarding the construction of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant, compensations, progress, among other issues.
The forest inventory that revealed the number of species, wood volume and biomass present in the reservoir of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant was concluded.
The results of the Preventive Archeology Program developed by Enel Colombia with the support of the National University were shared before the Local Administrations and communities of El Agrado, Garzón, Gigante, Paicol and Tesalia, municipalities in the area of influence of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant.
The ecological study of flora and fauna and the rescue plan in the reservoir of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant is in progress.

August

In order to carry out inspection tasks to help control the illegal traffic of flora and fauna in the area of influence of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant, Enel Colombia had three control posts with the support of Special Energy Battalion # 12 and environmental inspectors.
With an investment of $ 123 million pesos, Enel Colombia completed the construction of the aqueduct system that benefits 185 homes in the Madres Cabeza Hogar estate in the municipality of Gigante. The initiative was managed with resources from Trust constituted by the Company as part of the fulfillment of the commitments acquired in the Roundtables for the construction of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant.
Progress is being made in the feasibility study of the ports that will be built and enabled in the future reservoir of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant, which will serve as a means of transporting vehicles, milk and/or other products.
Enel Colombia will develop a reproductive biology project and conduct artificial propagation tests for the Pataló as an important measure for the conservation of this fish species from the Magdalena River.

September

Ofivery of the Resettlement Program moof house, built in the municipality of Garzón, which aims for communities in the area of direct influence of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant to know the dimensions and characteristics of the homes in real scale that will be built in their new settlement sites.
In order to contribute to the safety of pedestrians transiting the Paso El Colegio bridge, Enel Colombia put into operation the temporary lighting of this structure, with an investment of over $ 55 million pesos.
After the follow-up tables that were held in August to hear the voice of the community and find options for improvement together, a petition emerged regarding the adjustment of the employment policy at the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant. To fulfill this commitment, Enel Colombia has made the adjustments requested directly by the communities and their leaders.
Enel Colombia shared the results of the first semester of execution of the Ecological Study of Wild Flora and Fauna in the restoration areas of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Power Plant before environmental authorities and mayors of the area of influence.

October

Nearly 900 non-residents working in the El Quimbo area of influence graduated from the training they received through the School for Sustainable Development, an initiative promoted by Enel Colombia in partnership with the Huila Regional Sena for the population groups to undertake sustainable productive projects that allow them to restore their economic activity due to the construction of the El Quimbo Hydroelectric Plant.

Timeline

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013