Company name
Empresas Públicas de Medellín S.A E.S.P
Project number
11794-04
Category A projects could result in potentially significant environmental and/or social risks and impacts, which are diverse, irreversible, or unprecedented that may extend beyond the boundaries of the actual project site or facilities. In principle, Category A includes projects which have significant impacts on protected or sensitive areas21 and/ or vulnerable groups.
E&S category
A
Country
Colombia
Sector
Energy
Status
Completed
Disclosed date
10/31/2016
Projected date at which a project will be put forward for the Board of Executive Directors’ approval.
Projected board date
11/29/2016
Approval date
11/30/2016
Signed date
12/29/2017
Sponsoring entity
N/A
Investment Operations Department Contact
N/A
Investment type
Syndicated amount
USD $ 700,000,000
Financing amount
USD $ 400,000,000
Currency
USD
Project scope and objective
Empresas Públicas de Medellín S.A E.S.P. ("EPM") is developing the Ituango Hydroelectric Project (the "Project"), an infrastructure project to significantly expand electricity in Colombia. Located in the Department of Antioquia, at less than one kilometer north of the Ituango River and approximately at 170 km from Medellin, the Project will be the largest hydroelectric generation plant in the country, with an installed capacity of 2,400 MW that will allow the generation of 13,900 GWh per year. The IDB Invest facility will support EPM's strategy through a 12-year non-sovereign guaranteed corporate loan, including a four-year grace period. IDB Invest's participation in this operation played a catalytic role in mobilizing new sources of long-term commercial financing for EPM.
Between April and May 2018, the Project and its surrounding areas experienced heavy rains which caused large landslides. These events coupled with the geological characteristics resulted in a blockage of this structure which caused the premature filling of the reservoir. A sudden temporary unblock of one of its diversion tunnels caused flooding downstream of the dam, a situation that led to the preventive evacuation of the communities’ residents in the area and generated unanticipated environmental effects.
As of August 2019, the Project's situation is as follows: (i) the spillway is in operation since March 2019; (ii) the dam height is complete at its final level of 435 meters above sea level; (iii) the first gate of the auxiliary diversion gallery has been reinstalled; (iv) the cleaning of the caverns of transformers, generators and surge chambers, which remained flooded for almost a year, is under way; and (v) the final closure of diversion tunnels is under way. At the end of July 2019, Colombia's National Disaster Risk Management Unit changed the risk level from red to orange for populations immediately downstream of the dam, making it possible for more than 600 families who were preemptively evacuated to return to their homes. As a result of the above, the Project timeline has been adjusted.
Latest Updates from IDB Invest
IDB Invest meets with civil society organizations to discuss Colombia’s Hidroituango project
Latest updates from EPM
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Client files
This section provides the key environmental and social assessment documents produced by the client for this project.
CAP 01 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
1.3 Mb
CAP 02 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
890.4 Kb
CAP 03 EIA AREAS INFLUENCIA ITUANGO.PDF
139.3 Kb
CAP 03 EIA MEDIO BIOTICO ACUATICO ITUANGO.PDF
13.9 Mb
CAP 03 EIA MEDIO BIOTICO ITUANGO.PDF
4.5 Mb
CAP 03 EIA MEDIO FISICO ITUANGO.PDF
14.3 Mb
CAP 03 EIA MEDIO SOCIAL ITUANGO.PDF
14.0 Mb
CAP 03 EIA ZONIFICACION ITUANGO.PDF
685.0 Kb
CAP 04 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
1.5 Mb
CAP 05 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
1.3 Mb
CAP 06 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
102.4 Kb
CAP 07 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
5.8 Mb
CAP 08 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
1.8 Mb
CAP 09 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
776.4 Kb
CAP 10 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
221.6 Kb
CAP 11 EIA ITUANGO.PDF
455.0 Kb
ANALISIS DE ALTERNATIVAS PROYECTO ITUANGO.PDF
2.8 Mb
ESTUDIO DE ARQUEOLOGIA.PDF
18.9 Mb
ESTUDIO FAUNA ICTICA.PDF
3.3 Mb
GESTION INTEGRAL DE LA BIODIVIERSIDAD - ENTREGABLE JUNIO 2016.PDF
2.3 Mb
IMPACTOS ACUMULATIVOS EPM.PDF
2.4 Mb
MODELACION CALIDAD AGUAS DEL EMBALSE.PDF
13.0 Mb
PLAN COMPENSACION ECOSISTEMAS ACUATICOS.PDF
2.9 Mb
PLAN DE GESTION SOCIAL.PDF
1.0 Mb
INDEPENDENT ADVISORY PANEL (IAP) FIRST REPORT ON ITUANGO SEP18.PDF
3.9 Mb
INDEPENDENT ADVISORY PANEL (IAP) SECOND REPORT ON ITUANGO APR19.PDF
2.3 Mb
INDEPENDENT ADVISORY PANEL TO IDB INVEST IAP REPORT NO.3 OCTOBER 2019
3.0 Mb
INDEPENDENT ADVISORY PANEL TO IDB INVEST IAP REPORT NO.4 JUNE 2020
2.2 Mb
INDEPENDENT ADVISORY PANEL TO IDB INVEST IAP REPORT NO.5 MARCH 2021.PDF
5.7 Mb
IDB INVEST REAFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS
121.8 Kb
INDEPENDENT ADVISORY PANEL TO IDB INVEST IAP REPORT NO. 6 JULY 2021
1.4 Mb
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This enhanced project webpage seeks to increase IDB Invest's sharing of information on the Ituango Hydroelectric and updated efforts related to the project.
Latest news and external links
Project images
Contact information
For inquiries, comments and information requests about the project
Request informationAlternatively, you may also use the following contact information :
Client Contact
N/A
PHONE NUMBER
N/A
POST OFFICE ADDRESS
N/A
IDB Invest Contact
requestinformation@idbinvest.org
PHONE
+1(202)-566-4566
ADDRESS
1350 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005
COUNTRY OFFICES
IDB Invest Country OfficesIndividuals or communities can submit complaints and concerns related to environmental, social, or corporate governance issues to the Management Grievance Mechanism by e-mailing mgm@iadb.org or by calling +1 202 312 4040.
As a last resort, affected communities have access to the IDB Invest Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism by writing to mecanismo@iadb.org or MICI@iadb.org or calling +1(292) 623-3952.
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Request informationLearn more about how we provide private-sector solutions in the region .
Environmental and social review
IDB Invest conducts an environmental and social due diligence (ESDD) commensurate with the nature, scale, and stage of the project, and with its level of environmental and social risks and impacts. The ESDD will confirm the project E&S categorization and assess the project with respect to the client requirements in IDB Invest Environmental and Social Sustainability Policy. The results of the ESDD, including any identified gaps are described in the Environmental and Social Review Summary (ESRS) provided below. For projects approved as of 2016, any gaps with respect to IDB Invest's Environmental and Social Sustainability Policy at the time of the ESDD are addressed in the Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) presented below, to comply with the date mentioned above.
IDB INVEST ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL REVIEW PROCESS
3.6 Mb
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL REVIEW SUMMARY
46.7 Kb
IDB INVEST ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL PROCESS BROCHURE
2.6 Mb
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL REVIEW-ITUANGO-ENGLISH
858.1 Kb