SUMMARY OF CREG RESOLUTIONS
CREG 025/1995 – GRID CODE
Grid Code is established, as part of the Operating Regulations of the National Interconnected System - SIN
Grid Code is divided into 4 sections:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Expansion Planning Code of the National Transmission System -STN
Connection Code, section updated through Res. CREG 106/2006
Operation Code, section updated through Res. 060/2019
Measurement Code, section updated through Res CREG 038/ 2018
1. EXPANSION PLANNING CODE OF STN  PAGE 4 to 22
This Code specifies the criteria, standards and procedures for the supply and type of information required
by the Energy Mining Planning Unit (UPME), in the preparation of the Plan of Reference Expansion, and
by the transporters, in the execution of the detailed planning and the development of the interconnected
transmission system at voltages equal to or greater than 220 kV, denominated System of National
Transmission (STN), and that must be considered by the Users of this system in the planning and
development of its own systems.
The objectives of this Code are:
Specify the standards that will be used by UPME and Transporters in the STN planning and development.
Define the procedures for the supply and type of information required by UPME and the Conveyors to
carry out the planning and development of the networks that are part of the STN, promote interaction
between STN Users, UPME and Transporters with regarding any proposal for development in the User's
system that may have an impact on the operation of the STN.
To have the right to access to the grid, all Users must sign connection agreements with the transporters,
in which the contractual aspects of connection and use of the network are specified, as well as other
aspects of administrative, technical and economic order, including the operation and connection
maintenance.
Both new and existing users who will expand their facilities or wish to connect to a new grid point, they
must inform UPME of said extension or connection. Depending on the project, the transporter (s) involved
will define the earliest date of Operation starts.
1.1 ELEMENTS OF PLANNING
The proposed projects in these plans must be technically, environmentally and economically feasible and
the demand must be met in compliance with criteria for efficient use of energy resources.
The elements of panning are
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Quality
Safety and
Reliability
Quality: This element is focused on Voltage, the STN will be planned in such a way that it allows, in
conjunction with the generation, the transmission, regional and local distribution systems, to ensure that
the voltage in the load bars at the level of 220 kV and above is not less than 90% of the nominal value, nor
greater than II0%. The other element to be considered is Harmonics, the voltage and current waveforms,
with respect to the harmonic content and imbalance of phases, will meet the requirements established
by the respective NTC (Colombian Technical Standard), as long as there is no applicable NTC, ANSI / IEEE
519 will be used
Safety: The STN must be planned in accordance with the generation planning so that, between
transporters and Generators - under the coordination of the CND (Dispatch National Center) - guarantee
the following aspects:
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The system must remain stable under a three-phase ground fault in one of the circuits of the 220kV system with fault clearing by normal operation of the main protection.
The system must remain stable under a single-phase ground fault in one of the circuits of the 500kV system with fault clearing by normal operation of the main protection.
Once the fault is cleared, the voltage must not remain below 0.8 p.u. for more than 700 ms.
The oscillations of rotor angles, power flows and system voltages should be dampened (the
system must have positive damping).
Frequency values below 57.5 Hz are not allowed during transients.
Overloads on lines or transformers are not allowed. The chargeability of transformers are
determined by the nominal capacity in MVA and for the lines the minimum value between the
thermal limit of the conductors, limit for voltage regulation and the limit for stability, applying the
above criteria.
Reliabity: For the evaluation of the reliability of the STN, deterministic or probabilistic methods may be
used, at the discretion of the Transporter. The reliability criterion must show that it is the minimum
alternative cost including: investment costs, operation, network maintenance, losses, and non-energy
supplied due to unavailability of the transmission system. The minimum cost criterion must be equivalent
to the reference expansion plans used for the calculation of the regulated income of the transmission
activity.
The UPME will consider the technical concept of ISA and will rely on this entity in the studies that required
to develop the STN reference expansion plan.
The expansion planning code includes the requirements and procedures for the connection study, which
is required first a feasibility study by the user or project owner. The project owner should inform UPME
the intention of connection to the grid, previously must submit the request to study the connection to the
ISA/INTERCOLOMBIA. The Transporters involved will have a period of up to three (3) months to give a
concept about the technical and economic viability of the connection, term in which will carry out the
specific planning studies.
If, as a result of the analysis of the connection request, it is concluded that it is necessary undertake
additional studies, the requesting user, and the transporters involved they will agree the term and cost
for the realization of said studies.
In the page 19 to 22, presents the detailed planning information needed to define the new schemes of
the transmission system and the aspects to consider in the design.
2. CONNECTION CODE  Page 23 to 60
The Connection Code (CC) establishes the minimum technical requirements for design, construction,
assembly, commissioning, operation and maintenance that all Users must comply with or for their
connection to the National Transmission System (STN).
The connection code has two objectives, first, to ensure that all Users connected to the STN have the
same rights and duties and, second, to ensure that all transporters comply with their Obligations in
accordance with the provisions of Law 142 of 1994 “Public Domiciliary Services”, Law 143 of 1994 “Electric
Law”, its Regulatory Decrees and for the promulgated Resolutions by the Energy and Gas Regulation
Commission (CREG).
In accordance with the Planning Code, in any connection request, the transporter, prior UPME
authorization, must perform technical and economic feasibility studies. If the connection is technically
and economically viable and is approved by the UPME, the Transporter must offer the User a Connection
Point of the level at 220 kV or higher voltage, from which the User can perform the Connection. In general,
the Connection Point is the 220-kV busbar or higher voltage of one of the existing substations in the STN,
or the 220-kV busbar or higher voltage of a new substation that according to the feasibility study it is
necessary to build. If the connection is technically and economically viable, but the Transporter does not
have the resources to offer the Connection Point, the User may, if it wishes, undertake with its own
resources the construction of the Connection Point, but complying with the requirements of the
connection code and the Connection Contract.
The Transporter must carry out the studies of the connection request, as established in the Planning Code
and, verify that the User complies with the connection code.
Within the design are:
Annex – CC.1 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONNECTION OF TRANSMISSION LINES TO STN, see
page 39
This Annex presents the description of the minimum technical requirements to be met by any line of
transmission at voltages equal to or greater than 220 kV, for connection to the STN. These requirements
are required for connection to the transmission grid, under the conditions of the state of the art and the
current technological development and should be reviewed in accordance with the new developments.
Annex -CC.2 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBSTATIONS, see page 48
The purpose of this document is to establish the general guide for the design of new substations or design
of the extension of the substation that makes up the Connection Point to the 220 kV STN and higher
tensions Annexes CC.3 to CC.7 include the technical characteristics of substation equipment such as
Telecommunications, Protections, Fault Registration and Supervision. At this stage, the favorable concept
of the Transporter has been obtained and the Contract of Contract signed Connection should be done.
Annex -CC.3 TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, see page 50
The purpose of the required telecommunications equipment of the User is to guarantee the exchange of
all supervision and control information, between the User/ project owner, the Transporter, the CRD
(Dispatch Regional Center) and the CND (Dispatch National Center), necessary for the reliable operation
of the STN. This annex presents the minimum requirement to be met.
Annex -CC.4 TECHNICAL PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS, see page 54
The purpose of this annex is to present the technical requirements of the equipment and protection
schemes which must be supplied at the connection , Transporter and user site.
Annex -CC.5 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE FAILURE REGISTRATION SYSTEM, see page 57
This annex presents the basic recommendations for the elaboration of the technical specifications of
registration networks and fault analysis. Fault Recorders are devices intended to monitor the dynamic
behavior of the STN during disturbances or maneuvers. Given its importance in the detection of
operational problems, of protections, of equipment failures, a description of the characteristics of that
registering/recording system is presented.
Annex -CC.6 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE SUPERVISION AND CONTROL SYSTEM, see page 60
This annex describes the general principles and technical characteristics of the equipment, of supervision
and control that connect to the National Dispatch Center (CND) or the Dispatch Regional Center (CRD) and
mechanisms for the exchange of supervisory information and control between the CND and the CRDs and
other agents.
Annex -CC.7 GUIDELINES FOR ELABORATION AND PRESENTATION OF DRAWINGS OF THE CONNECTION
SITE, see page 64
This annex presents the guides on the preparation and presentation of drawings, manuals, information
about tests and calculation reports, all documentation related to the project must use the international
system of units, such as stipulated in IEC Publication 164 “Recommendations in the field of quantities and
units used in electricity " In case of ambiguity in the technical terminology related to the project, the
definition stipulated in the publication "IEC multilingual dictionary of electricity" and in CCITT
recommendations in communications aspects. The plans should be prepared following the guidelines
stipulated in the "ISO Standards Publication handbook 12” and ISO-A series formats must be used. In
addition to the paper copy, a copy of the plans must be submitted on magnetic media, in language and
version that is applicable and reasonable to have on the market at the time of the Connection Agreement
is made.
3. OPERATION CODE  page 69
The Operation Code contains the necessary criteria, procedures and information requirements to carry
out the planning, economic dispatch, coordination, supervision and control of the Integrated operation of
the National Interconnected System (SIN), seeking to meet the demand in Reliable, safe and quality of
service, using the resources available in the most convenient and economical for the country.
The Operation Code is mandatory for all generating companies, owners of the National Transmission
System (STN), the Regional Transmission Systems (STRs), Local Distribution Systems, distributors, traders
of electric power, CRDs and the CND.
Annex -CO.1 CALCULATION OF INDISPONIBILITY OF GENERATION, see page 100
Formulas to calculates variables of generation
Annex -CO.2 STATEMENT OF PARAMETERS OF DAMS, see page 124
Not applicable for PV systems.
4. MEASUREMENT CODE  page 133
The Measurement Code establishes the technical conditions and procedures that must be taken into
account, for the purposes of reading, recording and gathering, activities necessary for the accounting of
Electric power transactions made in the Wholesale Market. The Code only deals with measurement issues
for commercial purposes and does not cover the aspects of measurement for operational effects, which
are developed in the Connection and Operation Codes and their respective annexes. The Code specifies
the technical characteristics that the measuring equipment must comply with, of associated
telecommunications and backup, as well as installation procedures, tests, Certification, operation and
maintenance.
Application: The rules described below must be applied at all commercial borders of the Market
Wholesaler of electrical energy, and for this it is required that all agents take them into account in the
facilities in development, in the future, and make changes to existing ones, in order to achieve compliance
Annex – CM-1 CRITERIA FOR MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS, see page 138
It contains detailed criteria that should be considered in the selection and operation of measurement
transformers – CT´s & PT´s.
CREG 038/2018 – MODIFICATION OF MEASUREMENT CODE
This resolution regulates operational and commercial aspects to allow the integration of small and largescale self-generation in non-interconnected areas and other provisions related to the generation activity
distributed in non-interconnected areas.
This resolution applies to self-generators and to all persons who, being organized in any of the forms
provided by Title I of Law 142 of 1994, carry out the activities of generation, distribution and / or
commercialization of electrical energy in non-interconnected areas. This resolution does not apply to
existing or new emergency power supply systems.
For areas of exclusive service, new or existing, in accordance with the provisions of article 1 of Decree 348
of 2017, the parties by mutual agreement may define the mechanisms for the delivery and remuneration
of surpluses of self-generation.
To interpret and apply this resolution, the definitions provided for in laws 142 and 143 of 1994 and 1715
of 2014, or those that modify or replace them, especially the following, shall be taken into account among
those:
Self-generation That activity carried out by natural or legal persons that produce electricity mainly, to
meet their own needs. (Law 1715 of 2014)
Large-scale self-generation : whose maximum power exceeds the limit established by the Energy Mining
Planning Unit (UPME). (Law 1715 of 2014)
Small-scale self-generation: whose maximum power does not exceed the limit established by the Energy
Mining Planning Unit (UPME). (Law 1715 of 2014)
Energy surplus energy once covered the needs of own consumption, product of an activity of selfgeneration or cogeneration. (Law 1715 of 2014)
Unconventional sources of renewable energy (FNCER). They are those renewable energy resources
available worldwide that are environmentally sustainable, but that are not used in the country or are used
marginally and are not widely traded. Biomass, small hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, solar and seas are
considered FNCER. Other sources may be considered as FNCER as determined by UPME. (Law 1715 of
2014).
CREG 060/2019 – MODIFICATIONS AND TEMPORARY ADDITIONS TO OPERATION CODE.
By which modifications and temporary additions to the Operating Regulations are made to allow the
connection and operation of photovoltaic and wind solar plants in the SIN and other provisions are
dictated. Describes aspects related to the integration of wind and solar photovoltaic plants in the National
Interconnected System, SIN, and aspects related to water-edge plants. These temporary adjustments will
be in effect until the CREG issues the corresponding final resolutions.
CREG 106/2006 – MODIFY GENERAL PROCEDURES FOR ASSIGNING CONNECTION POINTS
This resolution modifies the general procedures for assigning generator connection points to the National
Transmission System, Regional Transmission Systems or Local Distribution Systems.
Generators that plan to connect their generation plants or units to the National Transmission System
(STN), a Regional Transmission System (STR) or a Local Distribution System (SDL) must comply with the
connection procedure established in the Annex of this Resolution, sign the corresponding Connection
Contract and comply with the requirements stipulated in CREG Resolution 025 of 1995 - Network Code.
The procedure contained in the Annex to this Resolution must also be followed for any modification of an
existing connection if it implies a change in the transport capacity assigned in the Connection Contract.
Is recommendable that the designer translate and read the documentation related to CREG to understand
the legal and technical requirements which is massive in information.