Mazar hydro plants go back into operation as energy experts warn reduction of blackouts is a mistake

As a result of technical problems at the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant, two of the three generation plants at the Paute-Mazar complex have been forced back into service. Last week, the Energy Ministry announced it would keep the Paute-Mazar plants out of operation indefinitely to allow the Mazar reservoir to refill.

The Paute Molino hydroelectric plant is one of three at the Mazar Reservoir.

On October 26, Energy Minister Inés Manzano said that Coca Codo Sinclair in Napo Province was operating above 1,000 megawatts, which meant the Mazar facilities could suspend operations to allow the reservoir water level to rise. Over the next seven days, however, records show Coca Codo Sinclair operated at an average of 550 megawatts due to frequent shutdowns.

According to Coca Codo Sinclair engineers, the higher flow rate of the Rio Coca was sending large quantities of sediment and other debris into the turbine intake pools, requiring frequent stoppages for cleaning.

Critics of the government’s energy crisis response claim conditions at Coca Coda and Mazar make this week’s reduction of blackout hours a mistake. “Given current conditions, it is irresponsible to reduce the power suspensions,” says electrical engineering professor Gabriel Secaira. “How can we afford to go from 14 to six hours with the fiasco at Coca Codo and the drought at Paute-Mazar? We were making progress at Mazar reservoir but now we are releasing water and restarting the turbines.”

Following operations suspensions at Paute-Mazar, says Secaira, the reservoir level rose to 2,117 meters above sea level at one point. “The plan was working but now we have resumed generation, releasing more water, and are back to 2,114,” he says. “Instead of making the difficult decision that 14-hour power cuts need to be maintained, we are misleading the public that things are improving when they are not.”

Secaira predicts the government will be forced to reverse course, as it did three weeks ago, and increase blackouts.

Former Energy Minister Carlos Pérez agrees. “It was good that the government reduced blackouts for the holidays –people needed a break– but now it must confront reality and reinstitute a schedule that reflects that reality,” he says. “We need to be honest and direct with people.”

Part of the reality to be faced, according to Pérez, is the fact that Coca Coda Sinclair cannot be relied on to end the power crisis. “Even in the best of times, it has only played a supporting role to the Mazar dams because of the stoppages,” he says. “It has never reached its optimum generation level of 1,500 megawatts and it is understood that it never can due to the design mistakes. Even when it operates at 1,000, it requires frequent stoppages for cleaning.”

Pérez recommends returning to 14-hour –or even longer— blackouts and focusing on thermal generation in the short term. “We were told three weeks ago that new mobile plants would arrive by air and be working at the beginning of November, but we have heard nothing about this lately.”

Like Pérez, Secaira says poor communication continues to be the government’s problem. “The new energy minister was quick to tell us about the ‘good news’ at Coca Coda and that blackouts would be reduced, but she was not so quick to tell us the bad news. In fact, we have heard almost nothing from her for more than a week.”