The project was developed by ISA’s affiliate INTERCOLOMBIA, who will also oversee its operation and maintenance.
The STATCOM system is the only of its kind in Colombia, third in capacity in Latin America, and first in the world installed at 2600 meters above sea level.
As part of the “2013-2027 Transmission Expansion Plan” that seeks increasing energy quality and reliability of the National Transmission System (Sistema de Transmisión Nacional, STN), ISA began operating the 500-kV STATCOM project with ± 200 MVAr capacity, which will improve voltage support in the central and eastern area of the country, preventing collapse due to voltage drops in case of failure of any element in the system.

According to ISA’s Technical Vice-President Cesar Ramirez Rojas, “the equipment located in Bacatá substation in the municipality of Tenjo, Cundinamarca, will ensure the safety of the service throughout the eastern area of the country in case of events occurring in the National Transmission System, as adequate voltage will be kept even with loss of transmission corridors that power the capital city. Also, the high dependence on generation units as Chivor and Guavio will be reduced, allowing flexible maintenance and decreasing the risk of preventive electricity rationing due to shortage”

Moreover, this project has a differentiating component “because due to its technology, it optimizes the installation area when compared with conventional compensation equipment and its components require less maintenance,” said Carlos Duque Hernandez, INTERCOLOMBIA’s Manager of Projects.

The STATCOM (Static Synchronous Compensator) system was scheduled to begin operations on November 30, 2015, but thanks to the joint and well-planned work of nearly 350 people from ISA, INTERCOLOMBIA, contractors and labor from the area, it was possible delivering the project ahead of schedule.

This project was assigned as an enlargement by UPME directly to ISA, through Resolution No. 90772 issued on September 17, 2013 whereby the Ministry of Mines and Energy resolved to adopt the “2013-2027 Transmission Expansion Plan”.

What is a STATCOM?

A reactive power compensation system that allows controlling the voltage levels within the limits required by the system and compensates the oscillations produced by failure of the same.