Colombia's Caribbean region faces electricity shortages and rationing risk

In the Caribbean region of Colombia, nine out of ten precarious electricity connections are concentrated, accounting for 92% of the country's subnormal electricity supply. The region, home to 12 million people, holds 80% of Colombia's renewable‑energy potential, 20% of its gas resources and 25% of national electricity consumption, yet suffers high energy losses of 29‑32% compared with a 15% national average.

Energy sector leaders at the RAP Caribe event in Montería called on the national government and the incoming administration to adopt decentralized planning, debt‑cleaning schemes, differential tariffs and smart‑grid investments, including megabatteries and hybrid micro‑grids, to improve reliability and attract renewable investment. Ricardo Arango, manager of Afinia (EPM), warned that the high loss rate and a mismatch between firm generation capacity and peak demand have already caused cuts in May 2026, with an unmet demand of about 2 650 MW. He said the probability of broader rationing is high unless corrective actions are taken at the policy level.