In the session of the Assembly of Antioquia, held yesterday, EPM reiterated that it is unlikely that Hidroituango will start operations on July 26, the birthday of the mayor of Medellín, Daniel Quintero.due to the delays that have occurred in some of the fundamental works for the hydroelectric plant.
Given the absence from the departmental control entity of the manager of EPM, Jorge Andrés Carrillo, arguing that he was in an unavoidable commitment of the entity’s board of directors, it was on his behalf that Vice President of Power Generation Projects, William Giraldo, who gave all technical explanations to the deputies when they were asked regarding the date launched by the president on February 2.
“We’re having trouble with the top elbows on units 1 and 2, because the rock ate the elbows. Given this, It was decided to make a metal lining of these and we have had delays because we had never put ferrules with the reservoir full and this does not allow us to put the welds. In the middle of the year it is not put into service”, Giraldo said in his presentation before the Assembly.
In addition, The official stated that in the next few days the exact schedule for the start of the operation of the entire project will be announced.starting with units 1 and 2, which are scheduled to operate in the second half of this year, although it would be following the date initially proposed.
The director of EPM also spoke regarding the study of the Swedish consultant Pöyry, for which 1,333,608 dollars were allocated. He indicated that many of the results that were delivered have lost validity following the progress that the work has had.
Regarding the change of contractors, Giraldo assured that The tender was opened for the benefit of the project, although he indicated that if the current contractor wins it, it would be the best, due to the experience he has in the construction of the work.in addition to the support provided following the emergency registered in April 2018.
“It is advantageous that the same contractor completes the project because he knows the work. What we do is for the resources, because the current contracting modality is not the most convenient for the economic part. The current contractor has been good and has pulled it off. This bidding is not done because of something that happens or because they want it to be out,” said the official.
This was controversial by the manager of Sociedad Hidroituango, Javier Darío Toro, who insists that changing the contractor is not the most appropriate at this time, if the risk of further delays in the project for its second phase is not to be run. “The contractor can generate additional times if it is a new one. The risks are framed with postponing the times of entry into operation of the eight units”, he concluded.
