MISCELLANEA GEOGRAPHICA – REGIONAL STUDIES ON DEVELOPMENT Vol. 24 • No. 2 • 2020 • pp. 73-84 • ISSN: 2084-6118 • DOI: 10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0010 Hydroelectric centrals’ impact on territorial sustainability: analysis in southern Colombia Abstract This study evaluates sustainability in the Huila Department in southern Duván Ramírez 1, Colombia following the construction of two hydroelectric plants. This Luis Alfredo Muñoz Velasco 2 evaluation is based on the Sepúlveda (2008) sustainability analysis model, which is especially suited to Latin American rural territories. The importance of this evaluation of sustainability in the Huila region stems from 1Faculty of Accounting, Economic and Administrative the environmental crisis that, according to various regional stakeholders, Sciences, University of Manizales, Manizales, Caldas, has been caused by the construction of the two hydroelectric plants. The Colombia results of this investigation indicate that the sustainability of the region is e-mail: [email protected] at risk because of these hydroelectric projects. 2Faculty of Economics and Administration, Surcolombiana University, Neiva, Huila, Colombia Keywords e-mail: [email protected] Sustainability • hydroelectric sector • location factors • Huila • Colombia Received: 17 September 2019 © University of Warsaw – Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies Accepted: 17 February 2020 Introduction The word “spatial” is a territorial expression that reflects the Colombian government did not perform exhaustive assessments space in which humans create and recreate their lives (Yory 2012). of the environmental impact that would be generated in Huila. Occasionally, abrupt changes occur in this environment that Currently both plants face environmental problems. Figure 1 aim to transform the topophilic relationship that exists between shows the map of the area over which Betania had direct, specific humans and their space, which lends credence to the notion that influence in 1986; and Figure 2 shows how this area changed the impact of the game of substituting the characteristic nature of up to 2017. Figure 3 shows the map of the area over which El the human-territory relationship causes, not only to biodiversity, Quimbo had direct, specific influence in 1986; and Figure 4 show but also quality of life and human dignity. how this area changed up to 2017. One example of abrupt changes to the environment is the As observed in Fig. 2 and 4, the presence of the Betania construction of two hydroelectric plants in Colombia: Betania and and El Quimbo dams has caused a mutation of the landscape, El Quimbo. The construction of Betania was authorized by the biodiversity, and the spatial setting. This has modified multiple Colombian government in 1972 without an environmental impact territorial qualities, including geography, economy, and analysis; it responded to the historical need to boost the economy institutionalism, among others. These dams have generated in southern Colombia (Pulido 2014). Betania is considered to various conflictive relationships between society, the State, and be the first multiple-purpose hydro-energy use project on nature within Huila’s territory, and affects over 15,000 hectares of the Magdalena, the most important river in Colombian. The land suitable for farming and pastoralism (Fig.1, 3). construction of Betania aimed to increase both the coverage and In the case of the El Quimbo dam (Fig. 4), the perception continuity of energy services, as well generate employment in the of change is made evident through the observation of the way Huila Department in southern Colombia. Construction began in in which governmental decisions have protected and promoted 1981, and its operation was initiated in 1987. the patrimonial plundering and the displacement of collectives Because of Betania’s short lifetime due to excessive who are dedicated to the agricultural economy. The presence sedimentation, the El Quimbo hydroelectric plant was built 12 of the hydroelectric plants has not contributed to the well-being km away to safeguard regional hydroelectric operation. The of the inhabitants of Huila, and lacks any authentic relationship construction of El Quimbo began in 2010, and it initiated operations between social cohesion and integral sustainability. in 2015. Its construction was delayed due to authorization issues, In 2013, the General Comptroller of the Republic of Colombia since it was believed that it would produce a negative impact on reviewed the 29 complaints presented, during 2013 and 2014, by the social, environmental, and economic levels present in the affected citizens, non-governmental organizations, and in certain Huila Department at that time. In 2008, the Colombian government cases, academics, primarily from the Huila Department, relating authorized its construction, as it was considered to be a project to the problems generated by the creation of the El Quimbo and of national and international interest because of the potential to Betania dams. This clearly reflects the general malaise of the export energy from the operation of both plants. Therefore, both citizens, which has now been accompanied by the corporate and hydroelectric plants were built, with the help of investment and political leadership in Huila, as demonstrated by the actions of public-private interests. However, before their construction, the the General Comptroller of the Republic, as well as the various 73 MISCELLANEA GEOGRAPHICA – REGIONAL STUDIES ON DEVELOPMENT Vol. 24 • No. 2 • 2020 • pp. 73-84 • ISSN: 2084-6118 • DOI: 10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0010 Map of plant cover, BETANIA (1986) -75°33' -75°30' -75°27' -75°24' MUNICIPALITY OF PALERMO MUNICIPALITY OF TERUEL ' ' 2 2 4 4 ° ° 2 2 MUNICIPALITY OF ' ' 9 9 3 3 MUNICIPALITY ° YAGUARÁ ° 2 OF CAMPOALEGRE 2 MUNICIPALITY OF ' ' 6 6 3 3 ° Legend ° 2 2 Plant cover Corine Land Cover Units Discontinuous urban fabric (112) Mining areas (131) Cereals (212) Clean pastures (231) Wooded pastures (232) MUNICIPALITY HOBO Weed grasses (233) OF ' Crop mosaic (241) ' 3 3 3 3 ° Grass mosaic with natural spaces (244) ° 2 Dense forest (311) 2 Fragmented Forest (313) Gallery and ripario forest (314) Dense grassland (321) Dense bushel (322) Secondary or transition vegetation (323) MUNICIPALITY OF GIGANTE Rivers (50 m) (511) ALGECIRAS -75°33' -75°30' -75°27' -75°24' Map of plant cover, BETANIA (1986) Coordinate System: MAGNA Colombia Bogota Location Projection: Transverse Mercator Datum: MAGNA False Easting: 1,000,000.0000 False Northing: 1,000,000.0000 Central Meridian: -74.0775 Scale Factor: 1.0000 Latitude Of Origin: 4.5962 Units: Meter Scale Observations Date 1:55000 December 19, 2017 0 1 2 3 4 km Figure 1. Map of the area over which Betania had direct, specific influence, 1986 Source: elaboration based on pictures taken by the Agustín Codazzi-Institute, Colombia, 1986 74 MISCELLANEA GEOGRAPHICA – REGIONAL STUDIES ON DEVELOPMENT Vol. 24 • No. 2 • 2020 • pp. 73-84 • ISSN: 2084-6118 • DOI: 10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0010 Map of plant cover, BETANIA (2017) -75°33' -75°30' -75°27' -75°24' MUNICIPALITY OF PALERMO MUNICIPALITY OF TERUEL ' ' 2 2 4 4 ° ° 2 2 ' ' 9 9 MUNICIPALITY 3 OF 3 ° ° 2 YAGUARÁ 2 MUNICIPALITY OF CAMPOALEGRE ' ' 6 6 3 3 ° ° 2 2 HOBO Legend ' ' Grass mosaic with natural spaces (244) 3 Plant cover 3 3 Crop and natural space mosico (245) 3 Corine Land Cover Units ° ° 2 Continuous urban fabric (111) Dense forest (311) 2 Discontinuous urban fabric (112) Open forest (312) Road, rail and associated land network (122) Fragmented Forest (313) Waterworks (125) Gallery and ripario forest (314) Cereals (212) Forest plantation (315) Clean pastures (231) Dense grassland (321) MUNICIPALITY Wooded pastures (232) Bare and degraded lands (333) OF Weed grasses (233) Swampy areas (411) Crop mosaic (241) Rivers (50 m) (511) GIGANTE Mosaic of grasses and crops (242) Lagoons, lakes and natural forests (512) Crop moss, grasses and natural spaces (243) Artificial water bodies (5A1L4)GECIRAS -75°33' -75°30' -75°27' -75°24' Map of plant cover, BETANIA (2017) Coordinate System: MAGNA Colombia Bogota Location Projection: Transverse Mercator Datum: MAGNA False Easting: 1,000,000.0000 False Northing: 1,000,000.0000 Central Meridian: -74.0775 Scale Factor: 1.0000 Latitude Of Origin: 4.5962 Units: Meter Scale Observations Date 1:55000 December 19, 2017 0 1 2 3 4 km Figure 2. Map of the area over which Betania had direct, specific influence, 2017 Source: elaboration based on pictures obtained through RapidEye Satellite, 2017 75 MISCELLANEA GEOGRAPHICA – REGIONAL STUDIES ON DEVELOPMENT Vol. 24 • No. 2 • 2020 • pp. 73-84 • ISSN: 2084-6118 • DOI: 10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0010 Map of plant cover, EL QUIMBO (1986) -75°42' -75°39' -75°36' -75°33' -75°30' -75°27' MUNICIPALITY OF YAGUARÁ MUNICIPALITY OF HOBO MUNICIPALITY OF TESALIA ' ' 7 7 2 2 ° ° 2 2 ' ' 4 MUNICIPALITY 4 2 OF PAICOL MUNICIPALITY OFALGECIRAS 2 ° ° 2 2 GIGANTE MUNICIPALITY OF ' ' 1 1 2 2 ° ° 2 2 ' ' 8 8 1 1 ° ° 2 Legend 2 Plant cover Corine Land Cover Units Discontinuous urban fabric (112) ' ' MUNICIPALITY 5 OF AGRADO Cereals (212) 5 1 1 ° ° 2 Agroforestry crops (224) 2 Clean pastures (231) Wooded pastures (232) GARZÓN Weed grasses (233) EL PAUJIL ' Crop mosaic (241) ' 2 2 1 1 ° Mosaic of grasses and crops (242) ° 2 2 Grass mosaic with natural spaces (244) Dense forest (311) Gallery and ripario forest (314) FLORENCIA MUNICIPALITY OF ALTAMIRA Rivers (50 m) (511) -75°42' -75°39' -75°36' -75°33' -75°30' -75°27' Map of plant cover, EL QUIMBO (1986) Coordinate System: MAGNA Colombia Bogota Location Projection: Transverse Mercator Datum: MAGNA False Easting: 1,000,000.0000 False Northing: 1,000,000.0000 Central Meridian: -74.0775 Scale Factor: 1.0000 Latitude Of Origin: 4.5962 Units: Meter Scale Observations Date 1:55000 December 19, 2017 0 2 4 6 8 km Figure 3. Map of the area over which El Quimbo had direct, specific influence, 1986 Source: elaboration based on pictures taken by the Agustín Codazzi-Institute, Colombia, 1986 76 MISCELLANEA GEOGRAPHICA – REGIONAL STUDIES ON DEVELOPMENT Vol.