Weekend rains boost generation at Coca Codo hydro and add a meter to the Mazar reservoir water level

Weekend rains increased electric generation at the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant west of Quito. From Friday to Sunday, generation increased by almost 400 megawatts, allowing authorities to idle the three power plants at the Mazar hydroelectric complex in Azuay Province.

Strong thunderstorms caused widespread flooding Saturday and Sunday in Quito, including at this Ecovia subway station.

The water flow of the Rio Coca increased from 169 meters per second on Friday to 220 mps Sunday night.

The rains also increased the level of the Mazar reservoir by more than a meter and a half, from 2,130.46 meters above sea level Friday to 2,132.15 Monday morning. Before the rain and the increased flow of the Rio Paute into the reservoir, Mazar had dropped 21.5 meters since late August.

The National Electrical Corporation (NEC), said it would resume generation Monday at two of the Mazar’s three generation plants.

In a social media statement, Energy Minister Juan Carlos Blum welcomed the weekend rain. “This provides greatly needed relief to the electrical situation and we are hoping for additional rain in the coming days,” he said. He cautioned however, that the country continues to suffer from a “very large energy deficit.”

He added that no changes are planned for power restrictions for the country’s largest electricity consumers. Among the restrictions is a 48-hour continuous disconnection from the power grid this week for more than 9,000 companies.

Weekend rains aggravated coastal flooding, especially in Esmeraldas and Guayas Provinces, and caused severe flooding in Quito. In the Cuenca area, light to moderate rain fell throughout the day Saturday.

In a Monday morning radio interview, President Daniel Noboa again promised that “no Ecuadorian family will face power outages.” He said: “2026 will not be a repeat of 2024.”