Escuela de Minas Hydroelectric Project

Audit Analysis

The Escuela de Minas hydroelectric project is a registered VCS renewable energy project with a solid additionality assessment (combined test, VVB-confirmed) and no reversal risk inherent to its avoidance-type design. However, the most recent verification report flags a 0% leakage deduction with no stated justification, the grid emission factor dates to 2016, and three corrective actions were raised regarding ER calculation conservatism and calibration records. Multiple contradictions across documents—particularly on safeguards, FPIC, and leakage treatment—reduce confidence in the consistency of the project record.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Leakage deduction of 0% with justification recorded as 'not addressed' in the most recent verification report (Dec 2025), while an earlier report (Sep 2024) stated it was 'quantified'—the more recent and authoritative document indicates the issue was left unaddressed
• ⚠Grid emission factor of 0.3105 tCO2/MWh is from 2016; if Colombia's grid has decarbonised since then, the claimed avoided emissions may be overstated
• ⚠Three corrective actions in the latest verification report: incomplete SDG 8 jobs evidence, unclear application of conservative data in ER calculations, and missing/incorrect calibration certificates for the energy meter
• ⚠Crediting period end date is 'not stated' in the most recent verification report, though an earlier report (Nov 2022) records it as 2029-07-21

Credit Vintages