Colombia's EPM Ituango to Release Bid Documents for Ituango Hydro Project

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources Latin America (Cordoba, Argentina)--EPM Ituango SA ESP (Medellin, Colombia), a subsidiary of Empresas Publicas de Medellin ESP (EPM) (Medellin), plans to release the bidding documents in August and September for the main civil works and electro-mechanical equipment for the 2,400-megawatt (MW) Ituango Hydropower Plant, which will be built on the Cauca River in the Colombian state of Antioquia.

In August, the bidding documents for the main civil works (dam, conduction works and the powerhouse) will be released. The Ituango project will have a 225-meter-high earth-core rock-fill dam, containing an underground powerhouse with room for eight Francis hydro turbines. Although the plant will be constructed in two phases of 1,200 MW each, during the first phase EPM Ituango will perform all construction on the powerhouse, leaving space for the future installation of the remaining 1,200 MW.

By the end of September, EPM Ituango will release bid documents for the manufacturing and provision of the electromechanical equipment. The Ituango Hydroower Plant will have eight 300-MW Francis hydro turbine generators. Four generators will be installed in the first phase, and the four remaining generators will be installed in the second phase. EPM Ituango has yet to decide decide whether the company will tender all eight turbine-generator sets in the coming months, or just the first four.

The Ituango project started in 1979, when the first feasibility studies were made. In 1997, a mixed capital company named Sociedad Promotora de la Hidrolectrica Pesacadero SA was created for the development of the project, which later became Hidroelectrica Ituango SA ESP (HIDROITUANGO) (Medellin). On March 30, 2011, HIDROITUANGO awarded a 50-year build, own, operate, maintain and transfer contract to EPM Ituango. For additional information, see June 1, 2011, article - Colombia's EPM Ituango Approves $380 Million Capitalization for 2,400-Megawatt Hydro Project.

On June 29, EPM Ituango awarded an $80 million contract to a consortium formed by Ferrovial Agroman Chile SA (Santiago, Chile), a subsidiary of Ferrovial SA (MCE:FER) (Madrid, Spain), and Sainc Ingenieros Constructors SA (Cali, Colombia) for the construction of the deviation tunnels and the powerhouse access.

The deviation works of the Cauca River will begin in September, and the first phase will be completed by 2018. Once completed, Ituango will be the largest hydropower plant in Colombia.

Empresas Publicas de Medellin (EPM) holds direct control of 97% capital of EPM Ituango. EPM is a utility property of the Municipality of Medellin and operates in the markets of natural gas, drinking water, municipal waste, telecommunications, and electric power generation and transmission.

EPM has nearly 3 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity, mainly in hydropower facilities. The company's largest hydro facilities are the 560-MW Guatape plant, the 400-MW Porce II plant, the 270-MW Guadalupe III plant, the 213-MW Guadalupe IV plant and the 204-MW Playas plant. EPM is close to completing the construction of the 660-MW Porce III Hydropower Plant.

EPM also owns the 460-MW La Sierra combined-cycle power plant and the only operating windfarm in the country, the 19-MW Jepirachi facility in La Guajira peninsula.

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