Deep energy planning
Introduction
The Ecuador Blackouts of 2024 were a series of energy crises throughout the country.[1][2].
One of the causes of this was a drought that affected the water reserves of the hydroelectric reservoirs, responsible for 72% of the national electricity generation. The water levels of the Mazar hydroelectric plant were reduced. The government implemented scheduled energy rationing, with cuts of several hours in various provinces of the country.[3][4].
The blackouts impacted all sectors, from industry to the daily lives of Ecuadorians. The authorities used measures such as modifying work schedules and implementing teleworking in public institutions to mitigate the effects of the cuts. This crisis is considered one of the worst in six decades.[4][5].
Background
History of Ecuadorian electrical crises
Historically, Ecuador has experienced several energy crises under previous regimes. During the government of Sixto Durán Ballén, Ecuador experienced an emblematic energy crisis known as the "Sixto hour", which occurred in 1994. This crisis was caused by a severe drought that affected the country's main hydroelectric sources, resulting in a drastic reduction in electricity generation capacity. To address the power shortage, the government implemented national rationing, with daily one-hour blackouts, giving rise to the term "Sixto hour." Although the measure was necessary to avoid the collapse of the system, it caused deep social unrest and seriously affected both daily life and the country's economy, especially in the industrial and commercial sectors.[3][5][6].
During the government of Lucio Gutiérrez, in 2003, the country faced a severe blackout crisis that affected both industrial and residential sectors. Similarly, in 2009, under the mandate of Rafael Correa, one of the most serious energy crises in the country was experienced due to the lack of rain that impacted hydroelectric plants, which caused rotating blackouts in several cities for several months. On that occasion, the government had to resort to importing energy from Colombia to alleviate internal demand.[3][7].
In 2010, also under the Correa government, Ecuador suffered a new energy crisis, aggravated by technical problems in the transmission and generation infrastructure, which triggered power outages in several regions. In 2016, the situation was repeated due to problems in the hydroelectric plants, especially in the Paute dam, which decreased its capacity due to adverse weather phenomena. These events highlight the recurring vulnerability of the Ecuadorian energy system to climatic conditions and the lack of diversification of energy sources.[3][5].