Power cuts in Ecuador will now last for 12 hours per day across the nation, up from the initially planned eight, the government announced on Monday. This decision was made due to the country's dire energy crisis, which has been exacerbated by the worst drought in recent Andean history.
Last week, authorities had stated that power cuts would affect the entire country for up to eight hours daily. However, adverse weather conditions persist in regions where the country's dams are situated, according to Energy Minister Antonio Goncalves. Speaking to journalists, Goncalves emphasized, "The important issue is that the climate is crazy, it has changed a lot." He further noted that the dry season began two months earlier than usual. "We depend a lot on hydrology. I can't predict something that only God knows."
Earlier, during his address at the United Nations General Assembly, President Daniel Noboa highlighted that Ecuador is experiencing its worst drought in 61 years. "It's chaos and much worse than expected," he stated. Additionally, electricity providers have revised their timetables for planned cuts, extending them through Sunday; initially, the cuts were scheduled to end on Thursday.
