Ecuador Energy Plan Includes Colombia Purchases And 100 MW Rental Generation

Ecuador's energy planning for the next dry season now includes both cross-border imports and temporary generation.

Energy Minister Juan Carlos Blum said a possible return to electricity purchases from Colombia is moving forward, with quantities and prices still being defined.

Colombia Supply Channel

The purchase would resume after Colombia's president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella takes office in August. Colombia interrupted electricity supply to Ecuador in January after Ecuador implemented a border-security fee.

Dry-Season Risk

The dry season usually begins in September and extends into the first months of the following year. This year, it could coincide with El Niño conditions.

Government entities including Celec, Inamhi and Inocar are monitoring meteorological conditions.

Rental Generation

As part of preparation, authorities are working on land-based generation procurement, targeting 100 MW during the rest of the year through rental under the public procurement system.

Reservoirs are described as full and under active management, with Cenace regulating the system hour by hour.

What to watch

The key variables are the Colombia import terms, the speed of any rental-generation contracting, and reservoir management once estiaje begins. If El Niño materially changes rainfall patterns, the planning assumptions may need to shift.