https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334800.shtml
China-Latin America BRI cooperation accelerates
> The Latin American country of Colombia has formally joined the China’s ***Belt and Road Initiative***, as reported by *Global Times. **** ***During the Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s visit to China in mid-May, the two countries signed a cooperation plan on jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.
China already has significant cooperative joint ventures with Colombia.*** Power Construction Corporation of China ***(PowerChina) is one of the Chinese companies with long-standing operations in Colombia. As of the end of April, the company had 16 projects under construction across Colombia. One of PowerChina’s major projects in Colombia is the ***Ituango Hydroelectric Project***, the contract for which was signed in 2023 and is currently under construction.
It will be the ***largest hydroelectric generation plant in the country***, with an installed capacity of 2,400 megawatts allowing the generation of 13,900 gigawatt-hours per year. Once completed, the project is expected to meet around 9 percent of Colombia’s total electricity demand.
China’s ***Three Gorges Corporation*** (TGC) has also undertaken a major project in Colombia. The ***Baranoa Photo-Voltaic Solar Plant*** is ocated near the city of Baranoa in Atlántico, northern Colombia, and was TGC’s first greenfield project in Colombia. Construction of the main facilities began in May 2023 and it was successfully connected to the grid in February 2025.
Colombia had 1.35 GW of operational PV capacity and 699.4 MW in testing at the end of March 2025, raising total installed PV capacity to 2.05 gigawatts, according to XM Colombia, operator of the National Interconnected System and administrator of the Wholesale Energy Market.
Shortly after signing the *Belt and Road agreements*, the Colombian government announced the implementation of 19 major measures to overcome the obstacles that have delayed or halted renewable energy projects in the country.
According to *PV Magazine*, 52% of renewable energy projects in Colombia are stalled due to a lack of adequate coordination procedures at state entities, including 12 projects on hold representing 240 MW not yet incorporated into the National Interconnected System.
**Sources**:
* *Global Times*, May 26, 2025. [[[[[https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334800.shtml](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334800.shtml)](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334800.shtml)](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334800.shtml)](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334800.shtml)](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334800.shtml)
* *PV Magazine*, June 2, 2025.** **[[[[[https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/02/colombia-announces-19-measures-to-unblock-renewable-energy-projects](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/02/colombia-announces-19-measures-to-unblock-renewable-energy-projects)](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/02/colombia-announces-19-measures-to-unblock-renewable-energy-projects)](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/02/colombia-announces-19-measures-to-unblock-renewable-energy-projects)](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/02/colombia-announces-19-measures-to-unblock-renewable-energy-projects)](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/02/colombia-announces-19-measures-to-unblock-renewable-energy-projects)
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