An unexpected blackout struck Ecuador on Wednesday after a failure in an energy transmission line, according to the government. The blackout came shortly after the announcement of potential power outages in the country due to production issues.
Ecuador's Minister of Energy reported that the failure, identified by the National Electricity Operator, resulted in a 'cascade disconnection,' leaving the entire nation without energy service. Efforts are underway to address the problem and repair the faulty power lines promptly.
While some areas experienced a 20-minute outage, reports from media outlets and social media indicated that many cities continued to be affected by the blackout. Residents described the situation as surprising, with some businesses relying on generators while others remained without electricity. The malfunction also impacted traffic lights, prompting the Quito municipality to deploy traffic agents to manage the flow of vehicles.
Furthermore, the electrical failure led to the suspension of services by Quito Metro, the company operating the city's subway system. This incident adds to Ecuador's ongoing electricity generation crisis, which began last year and has resulted in rationing across the country.
In response to the crisis, President Daniel Noboa's government initiated electricity rationing in major cities in April. The rationing was necessitated by a drought associated with the El Niño weather pattern, which depleted reservoirs and constrained output at hydroelectric plants responsible for approximately 75% of the nation's power supply.
