Ecuador Struggles with Severe Power Shortages and Drought Amid Hydroelectric Crisis

Pedestrians cross the road quickly under a traffic light without a light in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, on the 16th (local time). random news
Ecuador, South America, which has increased the share of hydroelectric power generation in the energy mix policy area (composition ratio), is directly hit by drought.

Amid severe power shortages, the Ecuadorian government is struggling to overcome the emergency situation by rescheduling public and private sector working days following rotating power outages.

The Office of the President of Ecuador announced on the 17th (local time), “As an emergency measure for the distribution of power, the 18th and 19th will be excluded from the working days. If the situation improves, there will be additional working hours are allocated.”

This measure applies to all public sectors with the exception of some strategic core sectors. In the private sector, working days were also rearranged in accordance with an agreement between labor and management.

The President’s Office said, “Due to the severe drought, water storage rates have dropped to 0% in the Masar Reservoir and 4% in the Pauthe Reservoir,” and added, “We appeal to the public to reduce the use of electricity during this critical period.”

In Ecuador, where a state of emergency was declared due to power shortages, blackouts began rolling in the day before. The government is also considering tax credits for companies that reduce electricity consumption.

Ecuador, which uses hydroelectric power for 75% of its total energy sources, has recently suffered from repeated water shortages, contrary to its reputation for abundant water.

Locally, drought and high temperatures associated with the El Niño weather pattern are identified as the main causes.

To make matters worse, neighboring Colombia recently suspended all electricity exports to Ecuador.

The main reason for this is that Colombia is also experiencing disruptions in the production of hydroelectric power due to a shortage of water, but there is an opinion that it is an after-effect of the forced entry of the Ecuadorian army and police into the embassy of Mexico, Colombia on a daily basis. reported El Espectador newspaper.

In fact, the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro (63), who maintains close relations with Mexico, canceled a cabinet meeting with the government of Ecuador scheduled for the 25th.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Novoa (36), known as ‘the world’s youngest head of state’, dismissed Energy and Resources Minister Andrea Arrobo for responsibility for the power shortage, and also revealed the opening of a prosecution investigation into 22 public officials, included Arrobo.

The Office of the President of Ecuador held them accountable, saying, “Former Minister Arobo and others deliberately concealed information important to the operation of the national energy system,” and “Unprecedented acts of corruption and negligence by government officials led to power shortage.”

Meanwhile, the Ecuadorian government is also planning a long-term project to reduce dependence on hydroelectric power generation and increase the share of solar power generation.

Last February, the country’s Ministry of Energy and Resources unveiled a policy idea aimed at installing solar power generation facilities in seven locations, including Pichincha Province.

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