The project, which dates back more than 15 years, is 90% advanced in its environmental impact study, the manager of Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica S.A. (Etesa), Carlos Mosquera, said.
He also indicated that both countries were able to define the route and the environmental corridor through which the power line will pass, which will allow a regional energy exchange.
The work represents an investment of close to 500 million, to be carried out by the Colombian ISA and the Panamanian Etesa, and consists of an electric transmission line from the Cerromatoso substation, in the Colombian department of Córdoba, to the Panama II substation, in the province of Panama.
All the studies are expected to be completed by the end of this year, which will enable the bidding process to begin construction of the line at the end of 2023 or beginning of 2024, Mosquera said.
One of the main benefits of the interconnection for Central America will be security of supply and access to lower cost energy for agents in Panama and Colombia, as well as the optimization of available resources throughout the region.