Ecuador has once again registered temporary blackouts since Sunday due to electricity rationing due to the shortage of generation from its hydroelectric plants due to a severe drought and the decrease in the import of energy from Colombiawhich is also in a critical situation.
In a statement released this Monday, the Ministry of Energy and Mines announced that blackouts will be scheduled for this Tuesday and Wednesday in different parts of the country, as already happened at the end of 2023, when for several weeks there were blackouts of up to four hours during the day.
The new blackouts began on Sunday in several cities in the country without the Government announcing them, since the Minister of Energy and Mines, Andrea Arrobohad ruled out this short-term measure on Friday.
At first, the Executive referred to electricity supply cuts due to “emergent maintenance”, but this Monday it recognized that this energy rationing measure will be carried out immediately due to not being able to meet all national demand.
“We must act responsibly with Ecuadorians and temporary rationing will be carried out to manage demand at the national level”announced the Ministry of Energy and Mines in the statement.
“Not doing so would mean compromising the energy supply for everyone,” he warned.
The Ministry pointed out that the times of the blackouts will vary depending on the distribution company, with which “it has been established that the suspension (of the electricity) will always be in the same time slot, in order to contribute to the planning of Ecuadorians.” .
As causes of this situation, he mentioned “the extension of the drought, the increase in temperatures, the lack of maintenance of the entire electrical system infrastructure in previous years and the presence of minimum flow levels.”
“We make a civic call to all Ecuadorians to support efforts to reduce energy consumption in this critical week, considering that every drop of water and every unconsumed kilowatt counts to face this reality together”the Ministry said in the statement.
During the course of this year, it is expected that the electrical interconnection works between Ecuador y Perua project funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and for him European Investment Bank (EIB) which should allow us to withstand this type of electricity generation shortage crisis. EFE (I)
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