Calls Persist to Move Colombia’s Clocks Forward to Face the Temperatures Ahead

Calls persist to move Colombia's clocks forward to mitigate the impact of approaching high temperatures due to the El Nino phenomenon. Governor Andres Julian Rendon of Antioquia has proposed returning the country to Gaviria time, a colloquial reference to former President Cesar Gaviria's administration. Rendon suggests this measure could save energy and modify consumption habits, potentially reducing national energy demand by nearly 2%.

The governor disclosed this initiative to President Abelardo de la Espriella, who promised to study preventive decisions to avoid crises. However, President de la Espriella has been preoccupied with addressing the aftermath of the August 10 earthquake, fires across the country, and public order and security issues. Rendon reiterated his proposal in Semana magazine, emphasizing that Colombia is overdue for such a change.

Sociedad Hidroituango, a proposal advocate, urged President de la Espriella to establish a technical committee to define measures against potential blackouts caused by El Nino. The organization also requested the installation of this committee before de la Espriella's inauguration to avoid reacting after the drought had affected the system.

The country is currently under technical rationing, as announced by Amylkar Acosta, a former Minister of Mines and Energy. Acosta reported 304 circuit disconnection instructions issued by XM, the electricity market operator, to prevent a collapse. XM's Energy Bulletin No. 356, as of August 21, confirmed that the National Interconnected System (SIN) entered a critical phase, with the Caribbean region and Bogota, Cundinamarca, Meta, and Guaviare under alert.

Analysts at XM are concerned about the severity of the El Nino phenomenon, which has a 95% probability of reaching a "very strong" category between October and December 2026, the most critical quarter for the electricity system.