Hidroituango: Iván Duque confirmed the inauguration for July 26 - Medellín - Colombia

In his most recent visit to Hidroituango, President Iván Duque confirmed that the megaproject’s first turbine will start operating on July 26.

The president made a tour and spoke with the workers and there he verified the progress of the works.

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“This is a strategic work for Colombia. We have made a visit here, we have spoken with the workers, with the engineers, we have seen the state of progress and what we see is a great commitment from the entire team of engineers and workers to have the first turbine installed by July 26which would start this project”, explained the president.

Duque also urged that “in a shorter period of time, the second turbine can also be installed.”

“With this, this great project for the energy security of our country could begin, and this project that is emblematic and, clearly, the largest energy generation project that Colombia has had, and the most sophisticated and important,” he added. .

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Iván Duque during his tour of the work.

It should be remembered that on February 2, EPM had announced that on July 26 the first turbine would be put into operation, but On February 21, the CC Consortium released a letter indicating that the schedules were not adjusted to the date announced by EPM.

This generated controversy, but with the president’s visit this weekend it was confirmed that he maintains the calendar and July 26 as a key day.

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On the other hand, in this same week the Comptroller General of the Republic, Carlos Felipe Córdoba, installed the preventive work table that will monitor the resources delivered to EPM by the insurance companies, due to the contingency initiated in Hidroituango on 28 April 2018, and the start-up schedule.

Currently, the works are at 87.32% construction progress. 8,353 people from more than 80 contractor companies and EPM work there, distributed in the different work fronts, mainly the machine house.

MEDELLIN

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Hidroituango: first turbine up and running by July 26, says Duque - Other Cities - Colombia

President Iván Duque, together with the Minister of Mines and Energy Diego Mesa and the Comptroller General Carlos Felipe Córdoba, They visited this Saturday, March 5, the main works of the Hidroituango hydroelectric plant.

The progress of the work exceeds 87.32%, so there is a goal, for the second half of 2022, to start generating energy with the first unit, EPM previously stated.

According to what they indicate, some 8,353 people from more than 80 contractor companies work on the site, in addition to EPM employees, who are distributed in the different work fronts.

It is for this reason that the president took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of begin operations of that first turbine on July 26, according to the schedule provided by the company.

“Today the project has the supervision and monitoring of the entire government team and I hope that the delivery date of the first turbine will be met, because that is not an arbitrary date or taken from any hat, it is a date in accordance with the new schedulesDuke assured.

Photo:

Javier Grandson. TIME

On the subject, the governor of Antioquia, Aníbal Gaviria, indicated that the most important thing was to “comply with high standards.”

“That it start working as soon as possible, that it not be put in the wheel in its construction so that it starts working but all that on the understanding of the highest engineering standards”, affirmed Gaviria, according to ‘Blu Radio’.

For his part, Duque was optimistic about the progress of the construction: “With this, this great project for the energy security of our country could begin, and this project that is emblematic and, clearly, the largest energy generation project that Colombia has had, and the most sophisticated and important “added the president in his speech.

More news

-You can not lose a single weight: comptroller installed follow-up to Hidroituango

-Learn about the ‘heart’ of the first Hidroituango turbine

-New controversy in Hidroituango due to the date of operation of the first turbine

Comptroller installed follow-up to Hidroituango: "You can not lose a single weight"

Interviewed credits:

Felipe Córdoba – Comptroller General of the Republic

RPTV NEWS AGENCY team:

Journalist: Edgar Ramirez

Camera and Edition: Oscar Cavadia

BOGOTA COLOMBIA). Friday, March 4, 2022 (RPTV NEWS AGENCY). Due to doubts about compliance with the EPM schedule for the activation of the first two power generation turbines of the Hidroituango hydroelectric plant, the Comptroller General of the Republic, Carlos Felipe Córdoba, visited the power plant to follow up on it. to the monetary resources recovered and ensure the entry into operation of this important hydroelectric project.

“We are setting up the special monitoring table so that we do not lose a single peso of those $4.3 billion that the Comptroller General has recovered to date,” said the comptroller.

The aim is to carry out permanent monitoring of the investment of these monetary resources, using the human and technological resources of the Comptroller’s Office, to verify that they are executed in an adequate and timely manner, and in full compliance with the schedule that EPM has established so that, in July and November of this year, the power generation of the first two turbines will start.

On December 10, 2021, Mapfre Insurer, under the all-risk policy that insured the Hidroituango project, reached a transaction agreement with EPM in which the amount determined in the tax liability process was included as damage.

Pursuant to said Transaction Agreement, full compensation for the fiscal damage established by the CGR was achieved. The Mapfre Insurance company made the last payment on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, for the sum of 633.8 million dollars. It had already given another 350 million dollars to EPM on the occasion of the payments made from the September 2018 contingency, with which it completed 983.8 million dollars of compensation, under the All Risk Construction policy.

Likewise, since December 2021, the insurers AXXA COLPATRIA, SBS and SURAMERICANA made the payment of the compensation corresponding to the policies that guaranteed the project directors. Once EPM certified the full payment of the compensation, the Comptroller General of the Republic declared fully compensated for the $4.3 billion property damage that it had determined in its second instance tax ruling on the Hidroituango case.

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Hidroituango: the 'heart' of the first turbine is already on site - Medellín - Colombia

In the midst of the controversy that the entry into operation of the first generation unit of Hidroituango whether or not next July 26on the construction site they work against the clock to meet the schedule.

There are more than 80 contractor companies and 8,353 collaborators distributed in different work fronts who seek to have the mega-work completed within the established times and with the safety and quality conditions required for this type of work.

In this order of ideas, EPM reported the arrival at the powerhouse of the runner of the first turbine, called its ‘heart’. It is an element weighing 71 tons (equivalent to 11 elephants), with a diameter of 5.1 meters and a height of 2.1 meters.

Its function, explained the company, is that of a small rotating ‘motor’ “in which the exchange of hydraulic energy (energy of water or kinetic or potential) to mechanical or rotational energy is carried out. In other words, the energy of the water is converted into mechanical energy, since when there is contact between the water and the impeller, it rotates at a synchronous speed of 180 revolutions per minute”.

Its assembly, which will last between two and four weeks, is part of the turbine-generator set, since the runner is connected by means of a shaft to the generator rotor and around it is the stator.

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The Hidroituango runners were manufactured by GE Renewable Energy in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

These two elements, rotor and stator, are also found in the powerhouse, EPM clarified.

“Starting the assembly of the first runner in Hidroituango is a technical milestone, because it marks the continuity of the assembly of the main mechanical components of the generation unit. Much of the equipment is already embedded in the concrete of the structure”, added the company.

Regarding the quality of this element, it was announced that they are made up of 15 blades, made of martensitic stainless steel, which according to EPM belongs to the series of highly alloyed steels with chrome “and is characterized by an excellent combination of mechanical properties and resistance to corrosion and cavitation”.

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Jorge Andrés Carrillo Cardoso, general manager of EPM, added that “Hidroituango already reached 87.32% construction progress at the end of last February, thanks to the considerable progress we have made in civil works and the assembly of electromechanical equipment in the house. of machines”.

MEDELLIN

Hidroituango: They doubt that the first turbine will start generating on July 26 - Medellín - Colombia

A new controversy surrounds Hidroituango, the mega-project that exceeded 87% progress and that promises to generate 17% of the country’s energy.

This time it has to do with the schedule for the commissioning of the first of the eight 300 MW (Megawatt) generation turbines.

While EPM reported months ago that July 26 is the date on which the first turbine will start operatinga letter dated February 21 was released from the construction consortium CCC Ituango, indicating that the schedules do not conform to the date announced by EPM.

“According to the programming that we know, the critical route for the entry into operation of the first unit is marked by the shielding of the pipes and upper elbows, as well as the concrete around them, and whose completion is expected andl start of tests with water for the month of October 2022. In this way, we highlight that the activities that the consortium has been developing are focused on achieving that goal”, says the letter from the consortium.

Finally, in the document, EPM is requested to disclose the strategies proposed to reach generation by the end of July so that CCC Ituango evaluates the action plans to be implemented to contribute to achieving that goal.

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EPM responds

Also through a statement, EPM confirmed that July 26 is the date on which Hidroituango will start generating power with the first turbine.

“Thanks to the technical progress that has been made in accordance with the technical work schedules carried out by more than 80 contracting companies that are developing it (not only CCC Ituango), insists that July 26, 2022 will be the date for the entry into operation of the first unit power generator”, expressed EPM.

However, William Giraldo Jiménez, Vice President of Power Generation Projects at EPM, has stated on several occasions that the schedules for a project the size of Hidroituango have a level of uncertainty.

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The CCC Ituango Consortium is not the only firm doing powerhouse work: there are more than 80 contracting companies

“Within the critical path of the Ituango generating units is the installation of the shielding of the vertical wells, which has not advanced at the required speed in the lower elbows. However, it is expected that, in the installation of the metal shielding of the straight part of these wells, a reduction in time will be achieved. This will be evaluated in these following months, since the installation is just beginning in that area.Giraldo explained.

Once said evaluation is made, the yields obtained will be determined, both in the installation of the pipes by the ATB company, and of the concrete by the construction Consortium.

“On the other hand, the installation of the electromechanical equipment and the commissioning tests do not depend at all on the work of the construction Consortium and begin months after the last concrete has been placed in the generating units,” said the official. Vice President of Power Generation Projects at EPM.

MEDELLIN

Hidroituango: what is missing for the first turbine to start operating - Medellín - Colombia

One of the three pending challenges that the Ituango hydroelectric project has for the first power generation unit to come into operation on July 26 of this year had a new advance recently, after the visit of the National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA).

The technical team of the National Authority for Environmental Licenses, from February 7 to 11, made the control and follow-up visit to this project and validated that EPM is taking the pertinent actions to overcome the contingency that occurred in 2018.

The ANLA visited the works in general, the powerhouse, the left and right margins of the landfill, the reservoir, the monitoring center and other sites of interest, in order to carry out the analysis and verification of the information presented in the report. the Chilean company Pöyry.

Although the environmental authority did not say more about the visit, it did announce that its technical team will continue with the analysis of the document and recalled that the ANLA makes pronouncements through administrative acts.

This is considered progress in one of the challenges of the project, which is to recover the environmental license with the Pöyry report, which was requested in 2018 by the ANLA as an expert opinion on the stability conditions of Hidroituango.

The report was delivered at the end of December 2021 and it depends on it that the environmental authority lift Resolution 820 so that the project can be continue with the works other than those exclusive to the contingency.

Hidroituango power cables. Each one has a diameter of 13.3 centimeters and can reach 600 meters.

Due to the pandemic, the visits of the international experts could not be carried out, so the report had a delay of approximately a year and a half to be delivered.

Jorge Andrés Carrillo -general manager of EPM- indicated in January that it will be the Anla, within the framework of its powers, that must inform, communicate or require everything related to said report on the current stability of the project and the operation of the future generation center.

“Due to the pandemic, the visits of the international experts could not be carried out, so the report had a delay of approximately a year and a half to be delivered. This is an opinion and not a root cause study of what happened in the contingencyCarrillo clarified.

The manager clarified that the start-up of Hidroituango depends on the recovery of said environmental license.

Panoramic view of Hidroituango.

Precisely, this report warns about the risk of the landfill, which is still in operation and is a work that it is not made to be in constant operation.

In this regard, EPM indicated that this is their main concern and made it clear that the only option to evacuate the water, other than the landfill, is through the generation units, that is, for Hidroituango to start operating.

The other two earrings

The first major challenge is the auxiliary diversion gallery, which was plugged in 2018 and caused the current contingency.

William Giraldo, Vice President of Power Generation Projects at EPM, explained that in 2019, as a result of this contingency, the two gates installed in this gallery, weighing 300 tons each, were closed to prevent the passage of water.

Hidroituango power house.

With the pumping of the water that was in this area, it was possible to enter sufficient personnel and machinery to carry out the proper cleaning and removal of debris and mud.

In the last days of January “it was possible to enter the auxiliary diversion gallery (GAD), a very positive fact for the recovery of the project and for the tranquility of the communities located downstream. With the pumping of the water that was in this It was possible to enter the area with sufficient personnel and machinery to carry out the proper cleaning and removal of debris and mud,” Giraldo said.

The other challenge to start operating is that the powerhouse, the ‘heart of Hidroituango’, which was flooded for 271 days, is adequate.

Currently, work is underway to put the first two generation units into service, in July and October of this year.

“The civil works of the first generation unit have already been completed and work has begun on the installation of electromechanical equipment and the control and installation of all auxiliary services. In the generation 2 unit, the emptying of the remaining concrete is carried out. It is estimated that in a month it would be reaching level 217, the same level where unit 1 is located and where the work is leveled out so that it begins to operate in October,” Giraldo said.

MEDELLIN

Hidroituango challenges before starting to generate energy this year - Medellín - Colombia

Hidroituango, the $18.3 billion megaproject that promises to generate 17 percent of the country’s energy demand, has three major challenges that must be overcome before the first of its eight turbines starts generating in July.

Even if EPM indicates that the construction progress is 86.9 percent and that there is significant progress on all work fronts, the first major challenge is the auxiliary diversion gallery, which was plugged in 2018 and caused the current contingency.

(Also: Daniel Quintero celebrated the millionaire payment of Mapfre to EPM)

William Giraldo, Vice President of Power Generation Projects EPM, explained that in 2019, as a result of said contingency, the two gates installed in this gallery, weighing 300 tons each, were closed to prevent the passage of water.

“In recent days it was possible to enter the auxiliary diversion gallery (GAD), a very positive fact for the recovery of the project and for the tranquility of the communities located downstream. With the pumping of the water that was in this area, it was possible to enter sufficient personnel and machinery to carry out the proper cleaning and removal of debris and mud,” Giraldo said.

(Also read: Was it shelved? This is how they reacted to the Hidroituango report in Antioquia)

Due to the pandemic, the visits of the international experts could not be carried out, so the report had a delay of approximately a year and a half to be delivered.

Once the adequacy and cleaning of the GAD is achieved, the construction of the two definitive plugs, 22 meters long, will need to be installed there to consider them definitively sealed. This milestone is expected to be achieved in April.

As for blockages, progress is also being made in blocking the right tunnel, which was the one that was unblocked in May 2018, generating the avalanche in Puerto Valdivia. This milestone is also progressing satisfactorily, EPM said.

Power house, the heart of the work

The other challenge to start operating is that the powerhouse, the ‘heart of Hidroituango’, which was flooded for 271 days, is adequate.

(Keep reading: EPM says that the ANLA is already analyzing Pöyry’s report on Hidroituango)

Work is currently underway to put the first two generation units into service, in July and October of this year.

“The civil works of the first generation unit have already been completed and work has begun on the installation of electromechanical equipment and the control and installation of all auxiliary services. In the generation 2 unit, the emptying of the remaining concrete is carried out. It is estimated that in a month it would be reaching level 217, the same level where unit 1 is located and where work is leveled out so that it can start operating in October,” Giraldo said.

Regarding units 3 and 4, which will be ready for next year, EPM reported that the works are advancing according to the installation schedule of the spiral chambers and stationary rings. The remaining units – 5, 6, 7 and 8 – were used as a temporary area to store equipment.

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To date, EPM maintains the schedule for the first two units for 2022.

Photo:

Courtesy EPM Group

Pöyry report, key to what is to come in the mega-work

And the third great challenge is for the project to recover the environmental license with the Pöyry report, requested in 2018 by the National Authority for Environmental Licenses (Anla) as an expert opinion on the stability conditions of Hidroituango.

The report was delivered at the end of December 2021 and it depends on it that the environmental authority lift Resolution 820 so that the project can continue with the works that are not those exclusive to the contingency.

(In context: EPM received payments of $425.9 billion for the contingency of Hidroituango)

In recent days it was possible to enter the auxiliary diversion gallery, a very positive fact for the recovery of the project and for the tranquility of the communities located downstream.

Jorge Andrés Carrillo -general manager of EPM- indicated that it will be Anla, within the framework of its powers, that must inform, communicate or require everything related to said report on the current stability of the project and the operation of the future power plant. generation.

“Due to the pandemic, the visits of the international experts could not be carried out, so the report had a delay of approximately a year and a half to be delivered. This is an opinion and not a root cause study of what happened in the contingency,” Carrillo clarified.

The manager clarified that the recovery of said environmental license depends on the commissioning of Hidroituango.

(We also recommend: Sura will disburse 100 million dollars to EPM for Hidroituango)

Precisely, this report warns about the risk that the landfill has, which is still in operation and that it is a work that is not made to be in constant operation.

In this regard, EPM indicated that this is their main concern and made it clear that the only option to evacuate the water, other than the landfill, is through the generation units, that is, for Hidroituango to start operating.

DAVID ALEJANDRO MERCADO PEREZ
Correspondent of THE TIME
Medellin
On Twitter: @AlejoMercado10
davmer@eltiempo.com

Hidroituango: Mapfre paid US$633 million to EPM for contingency - Medellín - Colombia - Colombia

The company Mapfre Insurance, Hidroituango insurer, made this Tuesday the last payment for 633.8 million dollars for the contingency initiated in the project in April 2018.

This was announced by EPM, which celebrated this disbursement to improve the finances of the megaproject.

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The mayor of Medellin, Daniel Quintero, announced that this payment had already been reported to the Comptroller General of the Republic, where an agreement had been reached in December 2021 for the insurer to make the corresponding payments for said contingency.

“Now it will be the Comptroller General’s Office that will determine, according to the exchange rate of each of the payments made, what is the shortfall that the now condemned politicians and mega-contractors who were unfortunately part of the damage that occurred in Hidroituango must pay,” explained the local president.

On the other hand, Quintero said that he will continue with what he has called the recovery of the money that was lost due to the contingency. “We are going to continue working to recover every peso and guarantee that those responsible are the ones who pay,” he added.

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Today EPM has officially recovered 4.3 billion Hidroituango thanks to the Comptroller’s decision. The Comptroller’s Office itself will define the additional amount to be paid by convicted parties responsible for mismatching the exchange rate. We estimate this amount between 30 and 150 billion. pic.twitter.com/xDdDL0yVhP

– Daniel Quintero Calle (@QuinteroCalle) January 25, 2022

Jorge Andrés Carrillo Cardoso, general manager of EPM, highlighted the joint work of various areas of the company to achieve the payment of the policy. “To this payment for 633.8 million dollars received today, the advance payments by Mapfre to EPM for 350 million dollars are added. Thus, the total payment of the insurer Mapfre for the contingency in Hidroituango amounts to 983.8 million dollars”, he said.

With this payment confirmation, EPM reported that it will proceed with the withdrawal of the arbitration claim that is currently suspended before the Conciliation, Arbitration and Amicable Composition Center of the Medellin Chamber of Commerce and will inform the Comptroller General of the Republic of it, with the aim that this be considered within the judgment of second instance.

For now, the project is still under construction and as of December 31, 2021 it was 86.9% complete and continues with its objective of meeting the goal of starting operations in the second half of 2022.

MEDELLIN

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