Energy consultant Jorge Luis Hidalgo said power outages could last into April as Ecuador’s historic drought continues.

For decades, experts have urged authorities to increase Ecuador’s energy supply by expanding solar and wind capacity and strengthening thermal power plants.

But Hidalgo said electricity and fossil fuel subsidies have kept Ecuador’s energy prices among the lowest in the region: residents and businesses only pay about $0.10 per kWhaccording to government estimates.

Hidalgo said the lack of revenue in turn inhibits private sector investment in alternative energy.

“While Ecuador continues to provide energy, this situation will continue,” he said.

Hidalgo added that over the years, as the population has grown, demand for energy has outstripped supply. President Noboa himself acknowledged this problem.

In October, he posted a video on social media explaining that Ecuador currently has a Insufficient energy Fluctuations range from 1,000 to 1,400 megawatts.

This means that Ecuador’s electricity demand exceeds its production capacity by more than a tenth. As of 2022, the country can only produce approx. 8,864 MW Total.

The shortage has sparked a political crisis in Noboa, which faces street protests due to government-mandated power cuts.

For Noboa, these demonstrations come at a delicate moment. He faces re-election in 2025 as he is currently tasked with serving out the remainder of his predecessor’s term.

In November, protesters even marched on the presidential palace in Quito, chanting “No light. No education. You have the nerve to ask for re-election?”

By December, Noboa pledged to end government blackouts. “We will return to normal life,” he promised.

In November last year, Noboa announced that his government had spent $700 million to maintain Ecuador’s outdated thermal power plants, aiming to support Ecuador’s hydroelectric system during drought.

Currently, about 70% of Ecuador’s energy is provided by hydroelectric dams.

Noboa also reached an agreement with Colombia to continue buying energy from the neighboring country. Earlier this year, Colombia Cut power exports Due to Ecuador’s own drought problem,

The Ecuadorian government also introduced a floating thermal power plant with a power generation capacity of 100 MW and 23 generators from Turkey, with a total power generation capacity of 80 MW.

Additionally, Noboa has eliminated energy subsidies for mining companies.

“Mining companies in Ecuador consume more energy than is needed to operate hospitals. Yet the price of their energy is subsidized by the state.” Noboa Wrote October on social media. “Subsidies must go to those who need them most.”

But for families like Samueza, who were hardest hit by the outage, the changes may come too late.

Since he was laid off, his wife has taken on the role of breadwinner, working as a finance director for a logistics company. Meanwhile, Samuesa is trying to drive for a ride-hailing app and so far is making less than the minimum wage.

Samuesa said the holidays may come and go quietly as household budgets tighten.

But he’s optimistic that by the new year, the blackouts will stop and the economy will recover enough that he might be able to find a job.

Still, he is frustrated by the government’s current predicament.

“There shouldn’t be a blackout,” Samuesa said. “The government should be prepared for cases like this, especially since we already experienced the same thing in April and May. The fact that they haven’t done anything to adjust speaks volumes about the government.”