LatinNews Daily - 3 October 2024

*Ecuador’s Energy & Mining Minister Antonio Gonçalves has played down the impact of Colombia’s suspension of electricity exports to Ecuador, saying that this is not expected to increase the duration of scheduled power cuts. Ecuador has been affected by rolling blackouts for months due to low water levels at hydroelectric power stations, which have also affected Colombia. Colombia’s energy and mining ministry announced a temporary suspension of electricity exports to Ecuador on 30 September due to the drought. Gonçalves said that “Colombia is [just] one part” of the government’s calculations regarding electricity rationing and said that “there is not going to be any change to the schedule [of blackouts]”. He said that the current schedule will be maintained “even if Colombia does sell to us”. Gonçalves said that the energy crisis has been eased by a recent increase in rainfall and by a new thermal power plant which will provide an additional 96MW to the national grid.