Blackouts are expected to continue as country’s hydro plants operate at less than 30% capacity

Officials from Ecuador’s Energy Ministry meet Friday with the Emergency Operations Committee in Quito and are likely to extend electric blackouts to next week. The ministry reported Thursday that nationally hydroelectric generation dropped from 32% capacity to 29% in the last six days due low river and reservoir levels.

The Agoyán hydroelectric plant near Baños de Agua Santa is operating at less than 30% capacity due to low water levels.

Local electric utilities will determine schedules that range from seven to 12 hours of service suspension throughout the country. In Cuenca and Azuay Province, most Centrosur customers are experiencing two daily blackouts totaling 9 to 11 hours.

Centrosur said last week that if blackouts continue, they will revise schedules on a weekly basis.

For the blackout schedule in Cuenca and Azuay Province, go to the Centrosur website and download the pdf.

The four largest hydroelectric plants in Azuay Province, three at the Paute-Mazar complex and the San Francisco Mines plant, generated 450 megawatts last week. Under optimal conditions, they would generate 2100 megawatts.

The Energy Ministry said that recent repairs at the Coca Coda Sinclair plant on the Coca River have increased generation there to almost 700 megawatts, up from 400 two weeks ago. Under the best conditions, Coca Coda can generate 1450 megawatts.

The national weather service is predicting rain in the western Amazon and intermountain regions beginning Friday and continuing through Monday.