CO-COST Project Resolving congestion to support reliable connection of renewables in La Guajira

In Colombia’s Guajira – Cesar – Magdalena region, the timely connection of new renewable energy sources is vital for achieving the 70% renewable energy target by 2030. The national planning agency UPME identified grid congestion issues, prompting the selection of SmartValve™ digital power flow control technology in their transmission expansion plan for 2020-2034. Developed by Smart Wires, SmartValves inject voltage to manage power flows and alleviate grid congestion, enabling the connection of new clean energy generation. This innovative solution is already in use, with plans for further deployment and collaboration throughout Latin America. Future projects, including 500 kV lines, aim to enhance the grid’s capacity. The future holds more SmartValves projects, including a grid extension in the Atlantico region to safely connect an additional 300 MW to the grid.