Drought hits hydroelectric dam, triggers energy crisis in Ecuador
The National Center for Energy Control (Cenace) said water was currently flowing at 50 cubic meters per second, far below the dam's 120-cubic-meter capacity.
"If we do not start rationing energy use, we could be talking about new power cuts here," said Rene Morales, director of the Hidropaute hydroelectric station.
Although Cenace issued an alert last week in response to the shortages, there is no evidence consumers have reduced electricity use. The warning has even been ignored by the country's government departments, Radio Quito reported.
The ministries of Agriculture, Foreign Trade and Environment did not have any consumption reduction plan, it said.
Natural disasters had already caused problems for Ecuador's power production. For example, the eruption of the Tungurahua Volcano has halted production at the country's another major power station - Hydroagoyan.
Cenace director Gabriel Arguello said demand for electricity had risen by 7 or 8 percent in recent days. Ecuadorians voluntarily reduced consumption by 5 percent from October to January to ease power shortages, Arguello said.
Related News
There's a Russia-Sized Mystery in China's Electricity Sector
BEIJING - Here’s a new obstacle that could prevent the world finally turning the corner on climate change: Imagine that over the coming decade a whole new economy the size of Russia were to pop up out of nowhere. With the world’s fourth-largest electricity sector and largest burden of power plant emissions after China, the U.S. and India, this new economy on its own would be enough to throw out efforts to halt global warming — especially if it keeps on growing through the 2030s.
That’s the risk inherent in China’s seemingly insatiable appetite for grid power.
From the cracking pace of…
