Colombian Caribbean leaders back new energy minister, present plan to tackle electricity crisis

Leaders and business associations from Colombia's Caribbean region have publicly supported María Nohemí Arboleda Arango's appointment as the new Minister of Mines and Energy. The Región Administrativa y de Planificación (RAP) Caribe and major business guilds expressed their readiness to collaborate with the minister to find solutions for the region's persistent energy crisis.

In a joint statement, members of the Mesa Energética del Caribe highlighted Arboleda Arango's technical background, particularly her experience with XM, the operator managing Colombia's electricity market. This backing comes after regional governors, congress members, and business leaders warned just a month prior about the critical risks facing the Caribbean's electrical system, labeling it a national concern.

Their previous "Declaración de Montería" outlined critical factors including the risk of power shortages, operational vulnerabilities, above-average electricity tariffs, financial struggles of service providers, and delays in strategic energy expansion projects. Now, with a new minister at the helm, regional leaders aim to transform this diagnosis into a concrete work plan.

Among the immediate requests presented to Arboleda Arango is the urgent need to secure financial resources for the operation of Air-e Intervenida, the region's electricity distributor. The business groups are pushing for the government to capitalize the company through the Fondo Empresarial of the Superintendencia de Servicios Públicos. They also seek mechanisms to cover Air-e's outstanding obligations to generators, transmitters, and other market participants, a debt reportedly exceeding 2.7 trillion Colombian pesos (approximately $650 million USD).

The ultimate goal is to ensure the continuity of the electricity service in the region, which has been plagued by instability and high costs. The proposed plan seeks to address both the immediate operational needs and the underlying financial issues contributing to the crisis.