The Colombian government issued legislative decree 0044 on January 21, 2026, to ensure the continuity of electricity services amid an imminent crisis. The exceptional measures aim to bolster sector liquidity without impacting users or tariffs. Mines and Energy Minister Edwin Palma stressed the goal of preventing widespread blackouts in vulnerable areas like the Caribbean.
In response to a severe disruption in the national power system, stemming from financial, operational, and structural factors impairing market agents' liquidity, the Colombian government enacted temporary measures under the State of Economic, Social, and Ecological Emergency.
Decree 0044, issued on January 21, 2026, establishes a temporary parafiscal contribution and a solidary energy contribution from certain sector companies. These funds will bolster the Business Fund of the Superintendencia de Servicios Públicos Domiciliarios to support intervened firms and avert service interruptions, particularly in areas like the Caribbean region.
Minister Edwin Palma clarified that these steps do not change the sector's model or affect tariffs. "This is not a decree against the electricity sector; it is a decree to save it from the inaction of previous governments and honorable parliamentarians who have strangled the country's fiscal policy for service provision," he stated. He added: "This decree does not pass on to users' bills, does not alter economic dispatch, nor changes market rules. Its goal is to protect people and sector companies to ensure service continuity."
Palma highlighted the state's constitutional duty to guarantee efficient public services. "When an essential public service is at risk, the state cannot look the other way. These measures are temporary solidarity to avoid permanent damage to the power system and the country's economy," he affirmed.
The government noted that the decree is confined to the emergency period and complies with principles of necessity, proportionality, and connexity, as longer-term structural solutions for sector sustainability are pursued.
