Drought-hit Colombia halts electricity exports to Ecuador April 17, 2024

Drought conditions have dried up the Lebrija River, trapping manatees in northeastern Colombia (flyer)

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Colombia has suspended electricity exports to neighboring Ecuador, as its hydroelectric plants have reached near-critical levels due to a severe drought, the Bogotá government said.

The period of severe drought, associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon, has also led to water rationing that is affecting 10 million people in and around the capital Bogotá.

Mines and Energy Minister Andrés Camacho told reporters that the country, which gets most of its energy from hydroelectric sources, was taking "all measures" to avoid power cuts.

"Since Easter week, we have limited energy exports to Ecuador. At the moment, we are not exporting any electricity," said Camacho.

The water reservoirs are currently at 29.8% of their capacity, according to the national electricity operator XM. A level of 27% is considered critical.

Camacho said that rains are expected soon to break the period of drought and high temperatures that also led to hundreds of forest fires in the country earlier this year.

The measure is expected to exacerbate electricity problems in Ecuador, whose president Daniel Noboa declared an emergency in the sector on Tuesday 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 launched an investigation into sabotage in certain areas and power plants," Noboa wrote on X.

Arrobo was replaced by Transportation Minister Roberto Luque.

Noboa gave no details about what the sabotage entailed, but criticized the "inefficiency and corruption of some 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However, Noboa rescinded the order and announced that "we won't have any more blackouts this week".

He also said that families' electricity bills would be halved this month.

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