BOGOTA, July 7 (Reuters) - Colombian state oil firm

Ecopetrol said on Monday it has purchased a wind power

project in the northern province of La Guajira from Enel

for $50 million.

The Windpeshi project will have a capacity of 205 megawatts

(MW), which will be added to Ecopetrol Group's self-consumption

energy portfolio, the company said in a statement.

"We have closed the transaction for around $50 million. The

total development will cost about $350 million, which is part of

the Group's investment portfolio," Ecopetrol's Chief Executive

Ricardo Roa told a press conference.

The project, which includes 41 wind turbines of 5 MW

each, is projected to deliver an average of 1,006 gigawatt hours

(GWh) annually, equivalent to approximately 8% to 9% of the

Group's total energy demand, Roa added.

The company expects to pick up the project's development

before year-end, with operations commencing by 2028.

Colombia is aiming to expand renewable energy sources

such as solar, wind and geothermal power as part of President

Gustavo Petro's push to transition away from fossil fuels.

However, many renewable projects, including onshore and

offshore wind farms in the country's north, have faced hurdles

such as opposition from indigenous communities and regulatory

delays.