Between January and August 2026, industrial demand for natural gas in Colombia fell 23 %, according to the Promigas InfoGas 2026 report. Yet the heat that gas used to produce barely reached the power grid: according to Naturgas, only about 5 % of the substitution measured through January 2026 went to electricity. Industrial heat electrification, meaning producing with electricity the steam, hot water or thermal fluid that today comes from burning fuels, is still the exception, and not only because of the price per kWh. Before swapping a gas-fired boiler for an electric one, the plant's internal grid has to be ready to take on new megawatts.

Why is industrial heat electrification moving so slowly in Colombia?

Cost and grid capacity. Industry is indeed moving off gas, but it is mostly replacing it with other fuels.

Naturgas (March 2026) measured the substitution of about 38 GBTUD (billion BTU per day) through January 2026: 50 % went to LPG, 23 % to coal, 12 % to bagasse, 10 % to fuel oil and about 5 % to electricity. Imported gas, meanwhile, already accounted for 28 % of supply so far in 2026 (Promigas).

According to XM, national electricity demand grew 6.75 % in August 2026, but demand in the unregulated market (industry and large commercial users) fell 1.54 %. And Asoenergía ranks Colombia as the Latin American country with the second most expensive industrial electricity: US$0.224 per kWh in 2025. For industrial heat electrification, the other question is physical: can the plant connect the load?

How much electrical power does it take to replace a gas-fired boiler?

Roughly 0.7 MW of electrical power per tonne per hour of steam, because producing steam takes about 2.5 to 2.7 MJ per kilogram. A 10 t/h boiler needs about 7 MW. In a mid-sized plant, a single electric boiler of several MW can match or exceed the plant's entire current electrical demand.

Voltage determines equipment size. One three-phase megawatt at 440 V draws about 1,300 A; at 13.2 kV, about 44 A. That is why multi-MW industrial heat electrification is connected at medium voltage (MV) rather than low voltage (LV).

What technical routes does industrial heat electrification offer?

There are three, chosen by temperature and power:

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), about 75 % of heat demand in less energy-intensive industries (such as food, textiles and machinery manufacturing) is below 200 °C. There, a heat pump divides the electrical power required by its coefficient of performance (COP); the IEA assumes 3.5 for low temperature, but COP drops as the delivery temperature rises. Units rated for 150 to 200 °C are still an emerging segment.

What must the plant grid solve before industrial heat electrification?

Five fronts, in this order:

Connection. The new load almost always requires a capacity increase and a connection feasibility study from the grid operator (OR, in Colombia). The plant may have to move from voltage level 2 (11.4 to 13.8 kV) to level 3 (34.5 kV). The grid operator defines the connection point, the reinforcements and the timeline.

Medium voltage. An incoming switchgear panel and a dedicated protection panel for the boiler, with vacuum circuit breaker, overcurrent relay and separate metering, under IEC 62271-200 with its full classification (LSC, partition class and IAC). See how to read it in our guide to IEC 62271-200 on a switchgear nameplate.

Transformation. LV loads need a new or larger MV/LV transformer (IEC 60076), sized for continuous duty. The electrode boiler connects directly to the MV busbar if the voltage matches; if not, it needs MV/MV transformation.

Low voltage. Switchboards and motor control centers (MCC) verified to IEC 61439, with short-time withstand current (Icw) and peak withstand current (Ipk) matched to the new short-circuit level.

Power quality. IEEE 519-2022 limits total harmonic distortion of voltage (THD) to 8 % up to 1 kV and to 5 % between 1 and 69 kV, at the point of common coupling with the utility. Check whether capacitor banks could go into resonance.

Is industrial heat electrification more expensive than gas?

To operate, it usually is today; to buy, not necessarily. The IEA analysis of low-temperature heat (December 2025) estimates that buying and installing an electric boiler costs about the same as a gas one, but running it can cost 2 to 4 times more, depending on the country. And that figure excludes the service connection, switchgear, transformer and switchboards that industrial heat electrification also requires.

The middle ground is hybrid operation: the electric boiler runs part of the time and the gas or LPG boiler stays on standby, with thermal storage to consume power off peak. This arrangement also secures continuity, because a multi-MW boiler cannot be backed up with a diesel generator.

How do you specify industrial heat electrification step by step?

Specification lesson. In industrial heat electrification, before you quote the boiler, quote the grid that will feed it: grid operator feasibility plus short-circuit, coordination and arc flash studies with the new load. Only then lock in the voltage and power of the thermal equipment.

Which regulations apply to industrial heat electrification and where does Ectricol fit in?

The expansion is an electrical installation subject to the Colombian electrical code (RETIE), updated by Resolution 40284 of 2026 (see the CREG regulatory database): design, certified products and inspection according to the scope of the code.

For industrial heat electrification, Ectricol manufactures in Funza, with routine tests before every shipment, SIMOPRIME medium-voltage switchgear for 11.4 to 13.8 kV, SIVACON S8 switchboards, motor control centers, transfer switchboards for auxiliary loads and factory-tested shelters. Connections at 34.5 kV are defined with application engineering.

Frequently asked questions

What is industrial heat electrification?

It means replacing fuels (gas, LPG, coal) with electricity to produce process heat: steam, hot water or thermal fluid. It is done with resistance boilers, electrode boilers or heat pumps.

How much power does an electric steam boiler need?

Roughly 0.7 MW of electrical power per tonne per hour of steam. A 10 t/h boiler needs about 7 MW, depending on pressure, feedwater and condensate return.

When does a medium-voltage electrode boiler make sense?

When steam demand reaches several MW. It connects directly at medium voltage, typically between 6 and 24 kV, and avoids handling thousands of amperes at low voltage.

Can a heat pump produce steam?

Most units deliver heat up to about 90 to 100 °C. High-temperature units reach 150 to 200 °C, but that segment is still emerging and actual COP falls as the delivery temperature rises.

Which electrical studies are required before electrifying a boiler?

For industrial heat electrification, you need grid operator feasibility plus load flow, short-circuit, protection coordination, arc flash incident energy and harmonic studies, all with the new load included.