Economy & Business - October 2026

ECUADOR | Tighter energy rationing for industry. On 8 October Ecuador’s environment and energy ministry announced tighter rationing of electricity for major industrial energy consumers. As of 12 October, industrial users in the ‘high voltage 1’ and ‘medium voltage’ categories were disconnected from the electricity grid for three days per week, rather than two. The government said that this would “optimise the consumption of large users, preserve energy reserves, and strengthen the stability [of the grid] … prioritising continued electricity supply to Ecuadorean homes”. Ecuador’s electricity system suffered repeated blackouts in 2023 and 2024 due to low water levels at hydroelectric stations, and the El Niño climate phenomenon poses a renewed threat over the coming months with a higher risk of drought. The impact on industry could heighten public dissatisfaction with President Daniel Noboa’s government, which faced demonstrations by trade unions in various cities on 8 October in rejection of its economic policies and to demand improvements in salaries, healthcare, and education. Such protests are likely to grow more frequent in the run-up to the 29 November regional elections, in which the main left-wing opposition party, Revolución Ciudadana (RC), has been controversially excluded.

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