Ecuador Moves To Keep Power Barge Online Before Dry Season

Ecuador is trying to keep rented power generation online before the next dry season.

Elecaustro opened a new process to rent a thermo-electric barge of 90 to 110 megawatts. The process is meant to extend the Erin Sultan, a Karpowership barge located at Las Esclusas in southern Guayaquil.

Contract Terms

The rental and operation period is initially six months, with the possibility of extension if the electric system requires it. The reference budget is USD 42.7 million.

The dry season in Ecuador usually runs from October to March, when hydroelectric generation falls.

The Las Esclusas V process was published on July 9, 2026, in Sercop.

Why Expats Should Watch

Cenace warns that if new generation does not come online, Ecuador has a 25% probability of an electricity deficit in the next dry season. Cenace also says the system needs at least 893.7 MW of additional capacity.

Energy Minister Juan Carlos Blum has said the 2026-2027 dry-season deficit could reach 1,300 MW, while the government's plan is to add 500 MW.

For households and small businesses, this does not mean outages are guaranteed. It does mean power planning is back on the watch list before October.