The challenges of transmission asset in Colombia: Planning and acceptability of expansion projects

The transmission asset expansion in Colombia evidences constraints that affect the transmission planning and implementation of the optimal expansion plans. Therefore, it is required to analyse the transmission sector experiences to assess the evolution of the transmission asset expansion and the challenges it faces to achieve a balance between social, sustainable and technical-economic goals. In this paper, we describe the transmission activity as well as the main characteristics of the transmission systems in South America. Then we focus in the transmission activity in Colombia, and also describe its transmission system, the electrical market structure, the transmission planning process and the revenue and investment methodology of the transmission assets. The integration of the transmission assets, the regional market integration and the open access issues to non-conventional renewable energy resources are seen as the most pressing challenges in the development of transmission systems. In this regards, the design of mechanisms is required to provide incentives to encourage the investment and the acceptability of the transmission assets, leading to improve the efficiency of the expansion plans.