Colombia has made significant progress in expanding electricity coverage nationwide; however; non-interconnected zones (ZNI)—remote and rural areas not connected to the national grid—continue to face limited or unreliable access to electricity. These regions; often characterized by difficult geographical conditions and dispersed populations; rely primarily on diesel-based generation; which is costly; environmentally unsustainable; and subject to fuel supply challenges. In Colombia; the Constitution and laws declares electricity an essential public service of general interest to the state. As a result; expanding the coverage of this service must incorporate government programs that take into account the country's energy sources; generation technologies; and the specific conditions of each locality. The UPME; as the planning authority for the electricity system and the entity responsible for proposing coverage plans; has identified a significant opportunity for Colombia to harness its energy resources to extend public electricity service coverage—especially in regions with geographic; economic; and access challenges that separate them from major population centers. These regions are often located in remote areas; where geographic and economic barriers make it difficult to connect to the existing electrical grid. In this context; small-scale hydropower generation integrated in a local micro-grid; presents a key alternative for electrifying homes in such areas. Despite the hydropower potential identified in Colombia; the planning and implementation of these systems face technical; financial; and regulatory challenges. Therefore; it is essential to conduct studies to develop cost-assessment methodologies; applicable regulatory frameworks; analyses of exploitable potential; and evaluations of available technologies. These efforts will facilitate the feasibility assessment of such projects from technical; environmental; social and economic perspectives. Given Colombia’s abundant water resources and diverse hydrological conditions; small-scale hydropower in micro-grids presents a sustainable; cost-effective; and scalable alternative for rural electrification.