Nationwide Power Outage in Ecuador Leaves 17 Million Without Electricity

QUITO, ‌Ecuador — A ​sweeping blackout ‍engulfed Ecuador on Wednesday, leaving its 17 million inhabitants in ‌the dark for several hours.

The power outage, which had a significant impact​ on⁣ hospitals, residential areas, and a crucial subway system, was attributed ‍to maintenance and transmission complications within the country’s electrical grid, ‍as per official ‍reports.

“Today’s power interruptions were a result of insufficient investment⁣ in maintenance, the development of new ⁤electrical transmission, and the safeguarding of the electrical transmission infrastructure,”⁤ stated Roberto Luque, the ​Minister of Public⁢ Infrastructure, during a press briefing on Wednesday.

By Wednesday evening, power had been‍ restored to‌ approximately 95% of the⁤ country, as reported by the government.

Ecuador has been grappling⁤ with an energy crisis for some time now. In a recent development, President Daniel​ Noboa of Ecuador declared⁣ an energy emergency in​ April ⁤and mandated ⁣eight-hour nationwide power outages due to ⁤a ‌drought‌ that hindered power production.

In Quito, the capital⁢ city, a CNN team witnessed two hospitals, including a pediatric medical facility, lose power during the⁣ blackout. However, ​both hospitals managed​ to switch to their⁢ generator power shortly after‍ the outage began.

In Guayaquil, the country’s ​most populous city, the blackout momentarily​ affected two additional hospitals. “We‌ experienced a power cut, but we have our own (generators),” a‍ physician from Guayaquil’s‌ Luis Vernaza hospital‌ informed. ⁢CNN contacted the country’s Health⁤ Ministry to inquire about the impact on other hospitals.

Residents of⁣ Guayaquil endured the‍ power outage in sweltering ‍90 degrees Fahrenheit heat. “It’s intolerable, it’s so hot and humid, and we can’t use ⁢an air conditioner or a fan,” a local resident ⁣complained to CNN.

“To make matters worse, there’s no‍ running water,” the resident further lamented.

Quito’s⁣ subway system experienced service disruptions due to the⁣ blackout, with ‍the city’s Mayor Pabel Muñoz stating⁤ that the outage ‌was so “substantial” that it affected the subway⁢ despite it operating on‍ “an isolated (electrical) system.”

Minister Luque expressed that the blackout could have‍ been‍ prevented if ⁤Ecuador had implemented an investment plan to “protect the infrastructure in⁢ both power generation and transmission” following a similar power ⁢outage ⁢in 2004.

Luque clarified ​that Wednesday’s blackout ⁢was not connected to ⁤the country’s energy⁤ crisis from last April.

“The ⁢power​ cuts⁢ we experienced ​in April were a result of inadequate ⁣investment in ‍new (power) generation and in the ‍maintenance of the (power) we currently have,” Luque ​explained.