Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
Results for “Paute”Clear
Mazar, the critical reservoir feeding Ecuador's largest hydroelectric complex, has fallen to just 22 meters above its operational minimum. With the dry season outlook uncertain, the specter of the 2024 blackouts -- when Ecuadorians lived through 14-hour daily power cuts -- is back on the table.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study warns that Coca River erosion could reach the 1,500 MW Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant's water intake by 2026. The plant provides roughly one-third of Ecuador's national electricity. Recent rains have improved reservoir levels, and a new 200 MW plant has come online.
After devastating blackouts throughout 2024 and into 2025, Ecuador's electricity outlook is the most optimistic in over a year. Heavy rains have refilled major reservoirs, Mazar dam hit maximum capacity, and a new 200 MW plant is online. But risks remain.
Colombia suspended electricity sales to Ecuador and imposed retaliatory tariffs after Ecuador slapped a 30% 'security tariff' on Colombian goods. With Ecuador's grid 79% dependent on hydroelectric power, the loss of Colombian energy imports raises the specter of the devastating 2024 blackouts.
