Ecuador closes businesses, government offices for 2 days due to serious energy crisis

​​​​​​​By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa ordered businesses and government offices closed Thursday and Friday because of an electricity crisis caused by historic low water levels at hydroelectric plants.

The situation has led to blackouts up to 13 hours a day.

Noboa said he made the decision not only because of “environmental circumstances” but “unheard-of acts of corruption, negligence” and “sabotage.”

The lack of electrical occurs ahead of a national referendum scheduled for Sunday. Nearly 13.6 million voters will cast ballots on issues surrounding the fight against drug trafficking.

The president asked voters to approve the extradition of Ecuadorians linked to organized crime, stronger use of the military and overturn constitutional bans on temporary work and international arbitration.

“They have wanted to ruin us with sabotage in the electrical area, they have wanted to ruin us with a dirty campaign ... they are nervous because the “Yes” is going to win,” said Noboa.

He also fired Energy Minister Andrea Arroba and immediately asked authorities to begin an investigation into alleged “sabotage” of power plants -- a probe the president ordered without giving the names of alleged saboteurs or evidence.

“They intentionally hid crucial information for the functioning of the national energy system,” according to a government statement.

In addition to the water crisis associated with the El Niño phenomenon, Colombia stopped exporting energy to Ecuador to deal with a serious drought that has Colombian reservoirs below 30% capacity.

Experts report energy problems have occurred since at least the beginning of 2023 and “the necessary measures were not taken” at that time.

The two most important reservoirs that provide water to the hydroelectric plants “record an operational storage level of 0% in Mazar, and 4% in Paute,” said the statement by Colombia -- a situation that has reached historical records.

Blackouts in places like Ibarra and Durán will last up to 13 hours. In Quito, where blackouts were limited to six hours, it will be increased to eight.