After several years of carrying out studies of the work, the governments announced that they plan to begin working on the standardization of regulations to sign the agreement of the electrical interconnection project.

In a press release published on March 19, Panama‘s Presidency stated that Panama’s Energy Secretary, Victor Urrutia, informed that the Agreement required for the implementation of the electric interconnection project that will link the Andean and Central American systems will soon be signed.

See “Electrical Interconnection Panama – Colombia”

Prensa.com reviews that “… Although the issue was addressed during President Juan Carlos Varela‘s official visit to his Colombian counterpart, Ivan Duque, the document is expected to be signed during the annual meeting of governors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), scheduled for March 28-31 in the city of Chengdu, People’s Republic of China.”

The project is developed by the company ICP, which is integrated by the Panamanian company Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica, S.A. (Etesa) and the Colombian company Interconexión Eléctrica, S.A. (ISA).

Regarding the deadlines for studies, the article adds that “… The National Public Services Authority (ASEP) approved to ICP an extension until September 10, 2020 to submit the environmental impact study approved by the Ministry of Environment. In addition to the environmental study, ICP must also provide the regulator with a study of the construction, management and operation of the energy transmission system for the electrical interconnection between Colombia and Panama, including a list of facilities and plants.”

Also see “Environmental Review of Panama-Colombia Electricity Connection”

The project consists of the construction of a 614-kilometer line that will link the Panama II substation in Pedregal with the Cerromatoso substation in Colombia. It includes an underwater section of 55 kilometers, of which 40 are in Panamanian territory.