In the layperson's imagination, energy is an abstract concept, disconnected from social and ecological realities, while in reality it is the cornerstone of all human and natural interactions; thus, energy policy can be seen as a representation of how part of nature has been appropriated, managed, and represented. This article offers an analysis of Colombian energy policy through its National Energy Plans, and an examination of the energy transitions that the country has experienced in the last forty years. The analysis of the Colombian case demonstrates that the central objective of energy planning and its institutional framework has been the advancement and maximization of the exploitation of energy resources for export purposes, instead of providing a guide to reorganize the system towards the reduction of energy consumption, the progressive replacement of non-renewable resources in favor of renewable sources, or energy justice.