- This recognition seeks to showcase Colombian companies that are committed to solving global social challenges.
- The distinction was awarded in the framework of the 2018 ANDI Conference.
- CODENSA was recognized for its program "Cundinamarca al 100%" (Cundinamarca at 100%) which aims to bring electricity to remote areas that currently don't have this service.
- To date, over 1,420 families have benefited from the program, with almost 8,500 households expected to be reached by 2021.
CODENSA, an Enel Group company in Colombia, was recognized as one of the most inspiring companies in the country in the framework of the 2018 ANDI Conference that culminates today in the city of Cartagena. This distinction aims to showcase Colombian companies that are committed to solving major social challenges around the world and at home through strategic activities in its business. In the case of CODENSA, the company was recognized for its program Cundinamarca al 100% (Cundinamarca at 100%) which aims to bring electricity to families in the department that are located in remote and highly dispersed areas and currently don't have this service.
The program was launched in 2016, and to date, over 1,420 families have benefited, with COP 20 billion invested in energizing households through three modalities: connection to conventional electricity networks, installation of solar panels and the construction of a minigrid (renewable energy generation and distribution systems). It is expected that by 2021, nearly 8,500 families from Cundinamarca, which have never had electric energy, will improve their quality of life with the provision of this service.
According to DANE figures, 17.4% of families from rural areas around Colombia do not have electricity because of their geographical location and lack of access roads. To that end, CODENSA is using different cutting-edge alternatives such as photovoltaic generation and energy storage thanks to experiences acquired by Enel Group in other countries around the globe. Additionally, it has used helicopters and drones to stack up material and install electricity networks.
For Pedro Ignacio Patiño, program recipient, “light has changed our life. My day got longer, and I can work more, and now I have milking equipment in my house. Without electricity, it seemed like I lived in a totally different world. Only a person who did not have electricity and now does can talk about how incredible this service is.”
Cundinamarca al 100% (Cundinamarca at 100%) is part of Enel Group's commitment, of which CODENSA is a part, to implement programs that allow access to electric energy for more people, in line with goal number 7 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to guarantee universal access to affordable and clean energy to more families. Around the world, Enel Group is committed to benefiting over 3 million people in Latin America, Africa and Asia by 2020 with this type of initiative.
ABOUT THE FIRST MINIGRID IN CUNDINAMARCA (RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION PROJECT)
CODENSA built and launched the first renewable energy generation and distribution system in Cundinamarca, known as the “Minigrid”, which supplies energy to over 20 households, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This system is comprised of a solar farm that consists of 72 solar panels of 310 pW (picowatt), a battery bank with 2,267 Amp hour/day capacity, and an 18 kilowatt diesel generator as backup.
Thanks to this, over 20 families that live in remote areas in the municipality of Paratebueno, 230 kilometers away and an almost 8 hour trip from Bogotá, can now refrigerate their food and use appliances without any inconveniences. With this solution, community infrastructure was also energized, including the school, chapel, rodeo ring and dairy micro-company, guaranteeing the community's sustainable development.
Installation of this Minigrid is in response to difficulties in accessing some areas in the department, which makes it difficult to bring traditional electricity because of its geographical location. For that reason, it was necessary to use alternative solutions such as non-conventional energy sources for families that historically did not have this service.
The recognition obtained by CODENSA at the 2018 ANDI Conference was carried out and audited by FSG Consultants, the same organization that prepares the selection of Fortune Magazine's “Change the World” list, which aims to recognize companies with high social impact based on activities they undertake as part of their main corporate strategy. In this one, Enel Group was the only electricity company to stand out in 2015 and 2017 because of its commitment to decarbonization and focus on creating shared value with the communities where it operates. Fortune Magazine is internationally recognized for classifying the world's best companies and executives through 30 different rankings each year.
ABOUT THE ENEL GROUP – CODENSA AND EMGESA
CODENSA is part of the Enel Group, a multinational energy company and one of the main operators with global integration in the sector of electricity and gas. The Group is operating in more than 30 countries around the world, generating energy through a managed capacity of approximately 88 GW. Enel distributes electricity and gas through a network of more than 2 million kilometers, and with nearly 72 million residential and corporate customers around the world.
Codensa S.A. E.S.P. is a leading electricity distribution and sales company on the market, with more than 3,400,000 customers in Bogotá, Cundinamarca, 8 municipalities in Boyacá, 1 in Tolima, 1 in Caldas and 1 in Meta. Established in 1997, CODENSA has an installed capacity of 21,500 MVA (megavolt amperes) along 71,517 kilometers of high, medium and low voltage networks. The Company generates around 14,000 jobs both directly and indirectly in Colombia.