Government extends business blackouts to 48 hours a week as energy crisis worsens

The government is extending the disconnections of large electricity consumers from 24 to 48 hours a week. Without making an official announcement, the Energy Ministry notified hundreds of companies by email on Thursday of the new restriction, explaining that the decision was based on worsening conditions at the country’s two largest hydro generation facilities.

The government is extending power blackouts to the country’s largest power consumers.

Beginning Monday, the country’s 185 largest electric consumers were disconnected from the power grid one day a week to save energy. Two days later, the Energy Ministry extended the 24-hour disconnection to 860 medium-sized companies with disconnections beginning next week.

It is unclear if the 48-hour disconnections will apply to all medium-sized companies, although managers of some of those companies report receiving the ministry email.

In the email, Energy Minister Juan Carlos Blum said that the “El Niño phenomenon is adding complications to the country’s energy situation, putting additional stress on hydroelectric generation capacity.”

National electric company Celec reported Thursday that the low flow rate on the Rio Coca was reducing power generation at the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant. Celec said Coca Codo was producing 800 to 900 megawatts due to the low flow, below its 1,200 to 1,400 capacity.

To make up the deficit, Celec said generators at the Mazar complex were “working overtime,” which was reducing the water level at the Mazar reservoir. Since mid-August, the reservoir water level has fallen 20 meters and is 18 meters above the minimum operational level.

Early Thursday, the Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor) met with Energy Ministry officials to ask for an exemption from blackouts at the ports in Guayaquil, claiming their “strategic importance” to the national economy. “We occupy a special position in the industrial chain since we ship and receive products necessary for many industries,” Fedexpor President Xavier Rosero said.

Critical for agricultural exports is maintaining the cooling systems at port warehouses and in shipping containers, Rosero said. “In many cases, our back-up power systems are not adequate for maintaining operations during power disconnections,” he said. “If these systems fail exporters face millions of dollars in loses.”