Through a statement, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Mines and Energy issued a statement regarding the information that has been circulating around the energy generation and marketing company Urrá SAESP and the alleged irregularities in the awarding of some contracts.
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To put it into context, an investigation by Jorge González, revealed by ‘W Radio’, revealed that 10 trading companies would be benefiting from agreements with the hydroelectric plant, despite not meeting the technical criteria for its allocation. Together, these deals would add up to nearly 1.4 billion pesos.
Among the companies that make up the list, three stand out: (Generarco SA, Energeticos ESP (ENE) and Clean and Efficient Energy (ELEFI ESP)) for apparently having ties to people close to the Casa de Nariño.
Given this situation, the Treasury and Energy ministries indicated that, according to the company’s statutes, the signing of energy contracts does not require approval from the board of directors and that became aware of alleged irregularities when requesting information to the hydroelectric plant within the framework of the Government’s policy for tariff justice.
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Electrical energy
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“Within the framework of the National Government’s policy for tariff justice, especially in the Caribbean Region, alleged irregularities became known. This was done when requesting information regarding the prices at which Urrá SAESP has been marketing energy, the companies with which contracts have been entered into, the mechanisms used and the contracting modalities, as well as the duration of said contracts.”the statement said.
In this regard, it is highlighted that the ministries requested Urrá SAESP to activate a specific audit on “the aforementioned facts and hire a forensic audit to dispel any doubts regarding said contracts.”
In addition to the above, at the end of July, the representatives of the ministries on the board of directors were instructed to demand that the current manager in charge of the company, Eduardo Díaz, suspend any energy sales contract.
Reintegration protection
In the same statement, the ministries referred to another case related to the energy company.
In early 2024, the majority of the board of directors requested the retirement of Rafael Amaya Del Vecchio as president of Urrá. Following his retirement, Amaya filed a writ of protection to be reinstated in his position.
Although the Second Criminal Court of the Montería Circuit, in the first instance, ordered his reinstatement, the sentence was challenged by the hydroelectric company. Thus, on May 29, 2024, the Criminal Chamber of the Superior Court of the Montería District, acting as a second instance judge, revoked the ruling ordering Amaya’s return to the presidency of Urrá and denied as inadmissible the tutela action that gave rise to it.
According to the ministries, due to the above, “The board of directors of Urrá, in ordinary session #374, decided to ratify the termination of the contract of Mr. Amaya del Vecchio.”
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