Colombia's Minister of Mines, Edwin Palma, has proposed temporary telework and home study schemes to reduce energy demand while the SPEC regasification plant undergoes maintenance. This measure is a response to the contingency caused by the El Niño phenomenon and the scheduled shutdown of the plant. Palma urged the Ministries of Labor and Education to assess these preventive actions to safeguard national energy security during peak consumption hours, describing them as necessary for strategic infrastructure and in the face of extreme climate effects.
The maintenance of the SPEC regasification plant, located in Cartagena, is scheduled from July 30 to August 3. This facility is currently Colombia's only operational liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal. Its temporary shutdown poses a risk to the national energy supply, particularly for thermal power plants in the Caribbean region that rely on imported gas. The Ministry of Mines and Energy previously characterized this situation as a technical limitation that could impact the stability of the electrical system.
In response to the anticipated gas shortage, Ecopetrol, a state-run company, will supply 81 billion British thermal units a day (BBTU/d) of natural gas through nine contingency contracts. These contracts, awarded between July 8 and 15, will direct gas to thermal power generators and distributors serving residential and natural-gas-vehicle (NGV) customers. This effort stems from a government request to ensure gas supply during the SPEC terminal's shutdown. The volume offered by Ecopetrol is higher than the 71 BBTU/d provided during a similar maintenance period in October 2025, demonstrating an increased effort to mitigate potential impacts.
Ecopetrol’s ability to provide this additional gas is a result of operational adjustments, including strategic fuel substitution in its facilities, optimization of plant processes, and internal coordination to free up larger gas volumes. Alvaro Casanova, Ecopetrol's gas and LPG manager, stated that this additional supply aims to maintain the reliability of the national energy system for gas-dependent sectors, aligning with directives from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Energy and Gas Regulation Commission (CREG), and recommendations from the National Gas Operations Council.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy had also raised concerns on July 11 regarding gas supply limitations for thermal plants in the Caribbean 2 area due to a $1.7 trillion debt accumulated by Air-e, which affected their ability to secure necessary gas quantities. The Ministry urged the Superintendency of Public Services and Air-e to prioritize payments to these thermal plants to ensure a secure supply during the maintenance period, warning that failure to do so could lead to gas limitations and reduced electricity supply in the region.
