The Comisión de Regulación de Energía y Gas (CREG) announced on 2026-08-31 that a temporary energy savings program will take effect on September 1, 2026, to incentivize households and small businesses to reduce electricity consumption due to El Niño risks. ^[1] The Colombian Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) confirmed that a temporary energy conservation program will begin on September 1, 2026. ^[2] The program aims to reduce energy consumption by households and small businesses in response to a forecast of a very strong El Niño event expected between October and December 2026. ^[3] The Colombian government activated a contingency plan to protect national water reservoirs due to alarmist forecasts indicating an 81% probability of severe El Niño between October and December 2026. ^[4] Adriana María Jiménez explained that the predicted strong El Niño could reduce water contributions to reservoirs during periods when the country's energy demand is at historically high levels. ^[5] Adriana María Jiménez, the executive director of the CREG, stated that international forecasts estimate an 81% probability of El Niño reaching very strong intensity between October and December 2026. ^[6] Users who exceed their consumption target by more than 10% must pay an additional charge solely on the excess kilowatt-hours (kWh), while those who reduce consumption by more than 10% may receive a financial benefit as a credit on their final bill. ^[7] Users who reduce their monthly consumption by more than 10% compared to their individual target will receive a financial benefit credited to their bill upon the program's closure. ^[8] Executive Director Adriana María Jiménez stated that international forecasts estimate an 81% probability of a very strong El Niño intensity between October and December 2026, which will reduce water inflows to reservoirs just as energy demand reaches historical highs. ^[9] The program will run for an initial period of six months and combines a surcharge for excessive consumption with a financial benefit for significant savings. ^[10] Users will have an individual consumption target based on their historical behavior over the last 12 months, and surcharges apply only to kilowatt-hours exceeding 110% of this target. ^[11] An additional charge is activated only when consumption exceeds the target by more than 10%, applying solely to the excess kilowatt-hours and not to the total bill value. ^[12]