The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has signed a technical cooperation agreement with Interconexionne Eléctrica Colombia Panamá (ICP), the binational company developing a power interconnection project between Colombia and Panama. The IDB will support design, technical and environmental studies with a US$0.5m financing, that will add to the US$5m investment already committed by ICP.
The 300 kV, 2x200 MW HVDC line would be laid out over 500 km from the Cerromatoso substation located in the department of Córdoba, Colombia, to Panama, with a section to be laid undersea. The interconnection line could be operational in 2024.
The project has been subject to several agreements between the two countries and is part of a larger vision to integrate the power systems of Mexico, Central America and Colombia. It would allow access to new renewable power generation sources, increase the reliability of the power systems and replace thermal power generation, thus reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.