By Alexandra Valencia

Electricity Suspension in Ecuador

QUITO (Reuters) – Ecuador’s government has announced the suspension of electricity service for nine hours on Sunday in 12 of the Andean nation’s 24 provinces and placed 19 areas on red alert due to a drought that has reduced the water levels of hydroelectric plants.

The blackout in the provinces will be from 8:00 a.m. local time until 5:00 p.m., according to a statement from the Ecuadorian presidency released Saturday night on X. This is in addition to the government’s plans announced on Tuesday for eight-hour nightly power cuts nationwide from Monday to Thursday.

Ecuador is experiencing its worst drought in 61 years, along with an energy crisis exacerbated by a lack of maintenance on existing dams and the failure to secure new energy contracts.

The Ecuadorian authorities stated that the extra suspension of electricity for Sunday was based on “protecting water resources.”

This measure was adopted following a session of the Emergency Operations Committee on Saturday night.

“We are in 19 provinces with shortages of water, fires, and food security issues,” Environment Minister Ines Manzano told reporters in Cuenca on Saturday. “The corresponding entities must accept and comply with the resolution declaring a red alert.”

After the government announced the planned power cuts on Tuesday, the military entered the Mazar hydroelectric plant, which has around 170 megawatts of capacity and is vital due to its large storage capacity, to support its operation and protect it.