AFP
Tue, April 16, 2024
Drought conditions have dried up the Lebrija River, trapping manatees in northeastern Colombia (Handout)
Colombia has halted electricity exports to neighboring Ecuador as its hydropower plants reach near-critical levels due to a biting drought, the government in Bogota said.
The severe dry spell, associated with the El Nino climate phenomenon, has also led to water rationing that is affecting 10 million people in the capital Bogota and surrounding areas.
Mining and Energy Minister Andres Camacho told journalists the country, which gets most of its energy from hydroelectric sources, was taking "all measures" to avoid energy cuts.
"Since Easter week, we limited energy exports to Ecuador. Right now, we are not exporting any electricity," Camacho said.
Water reservoirs currently stand at 29.8 percent of their capacity, according to the XM national electricity operator. A level of 27 percent is considered critical.
Camacho said that rains were expected soon to break the dry spell and high temperatures which also led to hundreds of forest fires in the country earlier this year.
The measure was set to worsen electricity woes in Ecuador, whose President Daniel Noboa on Tuesday declared an emergency in the sector and replaced the energy minister.
"I have declared an emergency in the electricity sector, I have asked for the resignation of the Minister of Energy (Andrea Arrobo) and we have begun an investigation into sabotage in certain areas and power plants," Noboa wrote on X.
Arrobo was replaced by transport minister Roberto Luque.
Noboa did not give details on what the sabotage entailed, but slammed the "inefficiency and corruption of a few miserable people."
On Monday night, Ecuador's energy ministry announced "temporary rationing" due to the drought and asked the population to "reduce energy consumption in this critical week."
However, Noboa overrode the order, and announced "we are not going to have more blackouts this week."
He also said household electricity bills would be halved this month.
Drought causes power cuts in Ecuador
Vanessa Buschschlüter
- BBC News
Wed, April 17, 2024
Neighbouring Colombia has stopped exporting power to Ecuador as it suffers from drought, too [Getty Images]
A severe drought has led to power cuts in Ecuador, which relies on hydroelectrical sources for much of its power.
Energy companies published a schedule of power cuts which has seen the capital and other major cities go without electricity for hours on end.
The drought has already led to water rationing in neighbouring Colombia.
The lack of rain in the Andean region has been linked to the El Niño weather pattern.
What is El Niño and how does it change the weather?
On Monday, power companies in Ecuador announced power cuts lasting between two and five hours to ensure less electricity was used.
The energy ministry said Ecuador's power system had been affected by "several unprecedented situations", including a drought, increased temperatures and minimum water levels.
The power shortage has been made worse by Colombia's decision to halt its export of energy to Ecuador in order to prioritise its own needs during the drought.
Last week, Ecuador's energy minister had still ruled out rationing electricity, but after several power cuts over the weekend, which caught residents and businesses by surprise, officials asked energy companies to publish a schedule of planned cuts.
Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa said the situation had been exacerbated by "saboteurs", but did not provide further details about who may be behind the alleged sabotage.
"Anyone involved will be not only be considered a traitor to the fatherland, but also a threat to national security," President Noboa said.
He also ordered the sacking of the energy minister and appeared to overrule the decision to ration energy, when he said that "we are not going to have more blackouts this week".
The newly appointed energy minister, Roberto Luque, warned there were no "short-term solutions" to solve the country's energy crisis.
In Colombia, the lack of rain linked to El Niño has seen water levels fall close to critical levels in some of the country's main reservoirs.
Most neighbourhoods in the capital, Bogotá, have had their water rationed, while residents have been urged to limit the time they shower to four minutes or less.
People who are deemed to be wasting water by washing their cars have been threatened with substantial fines.
Wed, April 17, 2024
Neighbouring Colombia has stopped exporting power to Ecuador as it suffers from drought, too [Getty Images]
A severe drought has led to power cuts in Ecuador, which relies on hydroelectrical sources for much of its power.
Energy companies published a schedule of power cuts which has seen the capital and other major cities go without electricity for hours on end.
The drought has already led to water rationing in neighbouring Colombia.
The lack of rain in the Andean region has been linked to the El Niño weather pattern.
What is El Niño and how does it change the weather?
On Monday, power companies in Ecuador announced power cuts lasting between two and five hours to ensure less electricity was used.
The energy ministry said Ecuador's power system had been affected by "several unprecedented situations", including a drought, increased temperatures and minimum water levels.
The power shortage has been made worse by Colombia's decision to halt its export of energy to Ecuador in order to prioritise its own needs during the drought.
Last week, Ecuador's energy minister had still ruled out rationing electricity, but after several power cuts over the weekend, which caught residents and businesses by surprise, officials asked energy companies to publish a schedule of planned cuts.
Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa said the situation had been exacerbated by "saboteurs", but did not provide further details about who may be behind the alleged sabotage.
"Anyone involved will be not only be considered a traitor to the fatherland, but also a threat to national security," President Noboa said.
He also ordered the sacking of the energy minister and appeared to overrule the decision to ration energy, when he said that "we are not going to have more blackouts this week".
The newly appointed energy minister, Roberto Luque, warned there were no "short-term solutions" to solve the country's energy crisis.
In Colombia, the lack of rain linked to El Niño has seen water levels fall close to critical levels in some of the country's main reservoirs.
Most neighbourhoods in the capital, Bogotá, have had their water rationed, while residents have been urged to limit the time they shower to four minutes or less.
People who are deemed to be wasting water by washing their cars have been threatened with substantial fines.
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