Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
Results for “environment”Clear
Celec says high river flows, sediment and rocky material damaged part of the Coca Codo Sinclair area after more than 20 continuous hours of pressure from the Coca River. El Comercio reports the national electric system remains guaranteed, but the episode shows why Amazon river conditions still matter for electricity users across Ecuador.
Ecuador's National Assembly approved a new marine-coastal governance law on May 21. Expreso reports it creates tools to protect breaking waves, regulate maritime activities and catalog important surf zones.
President Noboa meets VP Vance this week to discuss security, migration, and trade. Ecuador is also seeking a civilian nuclear energy agreement with the US — a first.
Juan Carlos Blum is now the fifth person to lead Ecuador's energy portfolio since November 2023. A former minister calls it 'a responsibility of the highest risk.' The blackouts, failed contracts, and investigations explain why.
Prosecutors raided CNEL offices across three provinces after the Energy Minister revealed a decade-long billing manipulation scheme affecting 400,000+ accounts. Officials allegedly cut invoices by 80% in exchange for bribes.
Interior Minister Reimberg told AFP that organized crime groups have launched roughly 600 drone attempts at El Encuentro prison since it opened. The government says it will build as many mega-prisons as needed.
The Cangrejos project, ranked 13th among the world's largest undeveloped gold deposits, gets a 26-year exploitation contract. Chinese-backed Odin Mining will invest $1.6 billion and generate 1,168 jobs. The government expects $6 billion in total revenue.
Mayor Pabel Muñoz says Quito has completed 1,900 projects worth $2 billion since taking office. The Metro extension to La Ofelia is moving forward with an $80M study contract, and another $700 million in works is planned for 2026.
President Daniel Noboa announced cabinet changes on April 20, installing Jaime Bernabé Erazo as Minister of Health effective immediately. The Ministry of Environment and Energy will receive a new minister on April 30, with the current officeholder stepping down.
Peak demand on the Ecuadorian electrical grid hit 5,333 MW on April 10 — roughly 20% above normal, and enough to trigger rolling blackouts across Guayaquil, Daule, and Samborondón. The Ministry of Environment and Energy suspended all scheduled grid maintenance on April 14 to free up capacity. Here's what's happening and what to expect.
Environment and Energy Minister Inés Manzano announced leadership changes at both CNEL (the national distribution utility) and CENACE (the grid operator) this week after widespread blackouts and what she called 'slow and inefficient' responses. Juan Carlos Blum — a mechanical engineer with a background in multilateral energy work — is the new CNEL general manager.
Ecuador's Ministry of Environment and Energy publicly labeled a circulating WhatsApp schedule of purported Guayas power cuts as "Falso." The fake document listed outages across Guayaquil, Samborondón, Machala, Daule, and Quito. The real, limited maintenance cuts are confined to two upcoming Sundays at the Dos Cerritos substation.
