Ecuador Extends Power Cuts Amid Severe Drought Crisis

Ecuador will extend nationwide power cuts to 12 hours per day, up from the previously planned eight, due to an urgent energy crisis spurred by the worst drought in the country's history, Energy Minister Antonio Goncalves announced.

Ecuador is extending its nationwide power cuts to 12 hours a day, up from the initially planned eight, as the country faces an urgent energy crisis brought on by the worst drought in its recent history, the government announced on Monday.

Last week, authorities had set power cuts at a maximum of eight hours per day. However, continued adverse weather conditions persist in the areas where the country's dams are located, Energy Minister Antonio Goncalves told journalists.

The prolonged drought has severely impacted the Andean nation’s ability to generate electricity, necessitating more extensive power rationing.