“Practically he is going to say goodbye because he is leaving in a month and a half with a rate increase. When should it be the opposite?” With that phrase, Norman Alarcón, coordinator of the National League of Public Service Users in the Caribbean, summarized the concern that was reignited in the region after learning of a new increase in the Air-e energy rate intervenedjust when the government of President Gustavo Petro enters the final stretch of his mandate and the doubts about the future of the company.
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The decision was made official by Air-e for the month of June and represents a 5.5 percent increase in it kilowatt hour valuewhich goes from 796 pesos to 840.15 pesos for users of Atlántico, Magdalena and La Guajira.
The measure impacts about 1.3 million users and it occurs in the middle of a scenario marked by discussions about a eventual liquidation of the companythe financial difficulties of the intervened and the expectation for the decisions that the new government starting next August 7.
A increase that reopens the debate
The National League of Users classified as the rate increase incomprehensible and maintained that the measure contradicts the expectations that existed in the region about a possible reduction in the cost of service.
According to Alarcón, from the end of 2025 the rate had remained stable thanks to the user pressures already at precautionary measures adopted by the Atlantic Administrative Court within a popular action promoted by the representatives of Barranquilla and Santa Marta.
Norman Alarcón is the coordinator of the National League of Public Service Users. Photo:Courtesy Norman Alarcón
“We were waiting for the CREG to announce and approve the resolution eliminating the 20% surcharge to marketing. Resolution that came into their hands and that would carry a reduction of 50 pesos per kilowatt and as we have news, the Minister of Mines, Edwin Palma, did not want them to approve that resolution, which was also ordered by the precautionary measures of the Atlantic Administrative Court”, he stated.
The leader explained that the rate remained stable since the end of last year and recalled that Air-e had reported that it had secured the energy purchase by 2026 through long term contracts.
The Aired company had told us at the end of last year that they had already resolved the problem of purchasing energy for the entire year 2026 with long-term contracts. These long-term contracts are contracts that are stable over time. What oscillates is the energy that is purchased on the stock market, which is what is traded daily, what is called the Spot market.
norman alarconCoordinator of the National League of Users of Public Services in the Caribbean.
“The Aired company had told us at the end of last year that they had already solved the problem of purchase of energy for the entire year 2026 with long term contracts. These long-term contracts are contracts that are stable over time. What oscillates is the energy that is purchased on the stock market, which is what is traded daily, what is called Spot market“, held.
The Minister of Mines and Energy Edwin Palma Egea Photo:minminas
For the user organization, the increase represents a new blow for homes of the region at a time when economic difficulties and high temperatures associated with El Niño phenomenonthat increase energy consumption.
The intervention under question
One of the most critical points of the League’s statement has to do with the balance they make of state intervention started almost two years ago.
Alarcón maintained that the company’s financial situation did not improve during this period and assured that the government leaves a weaker company than the one you received.
The Air-e company was intervened two years ago. Photo:Air
“I believe that not only nothing was solved in these two years, but it got worse. The Vice Minister of Mines, Víctor Paternina, who came to Barranquilla about 20 days ago, declared before the media that the Aired company was in intensive care”.
And he added: “That is, the Dr. Petro’s government received it almost two years ago, the company Aired in a difficult situation. That’s why they intervened. But He is going to deliver her to the ICU. In intensive care”.
According to the figures presented by the League, at the time of the intervention there were Previous obligations close to 560 billion pesoswhile currently accumulated debts would exceed 2.5 trillion pesos.
President Gustavo Petro in Barranquilla. Photo:Presidency
“When a public service company is intervened, there is pre-taken debtsthat is, debts prior to the seizure until the day on which the intervention takes place. And those debts, as I have learned, were 560 billion pesos. But there are some new debts, postomawhich are around 2 billion pesos. If the others are added, they are more than 2.5 billion”.
The organization insists that the National Government should have used the Business Fund of the Superintendence of Public Services for inject resources and stabilize the companyjust as happened years ago with Electricaribe.
“When Electricaribe was intervenedhim They injected 7 billion pesos of the General Budget for the purchase of energyfor the investmentsetc. All Colombians pay those 7 billion through the General Budget.”
The char warning
The concerns about Air-e have also been expressed by the Mayor of Barranquilla, Alejandro Charwho in recent weeks has raised the tone of his criticism of the management of the energy crisis.
“He chicharrón that they are giving us to Barranquilla and the Caribbean it’s a bomb“said the president.
Mayor Alejandro Char. Photo:ET file
Char believes that the problem has already transcended the discussion on rates and has become a threat to the stability of the regional electrical system.
“Whenever the country turns off. That is to say, the president who arrives has to lower his feet to the ground because we don’t have light. The generator has no way to charge because more than three billion pesos are owed“, said.
The mayor also revealed that together with the governor of Atlántico, Eduardo Verano, he proposed to the National Government to explore mechanisms that allow a regional participation in solving the crisis.
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“We wrote a letter to the National Government. What is happening with Air-e is too serious. If we have to help solve that problem, we are willing to do it”, he noted.
He even defended the institutional capacity of Barranquilla to assume greater responsibilities in the public services administration.
“We already have databases, we know the users and we know how public service companies work. Barranquilla has shown that it can manage well many things and that is why we believe that we can provide solutions”.
The task for the new government
Beyond the discussion about an eventual liquidation of Air-e, the National League of Users considers that the immediate priority should be ensure the financial viability of the company.
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“The National League of Users urges the new governmentwho was elected last Sunday, to enter resolve the crisis of the Air-e companyand that we consider that the first thing to do is stabilize Air-e. Stabilize Air-e with resourcesthis is with silver”.
The organization proposes that they subsequently study structural alternativesincluding the ability to create a regional energy company with public and private participation.
LEONARDO HERRERA DELGANS journalist EL TIEMPO write to me at leoher@eltiempo.com and at X:@leoher70
