Ecuador imports Colombian energy to maintain hydroelectric plants before dry season

Ecuador has resumed importing electricity from Colombia, a move aimed at reinforcing its National Interconnected System and facilitating essential maintenance of its hydroelectric power plants. This energy exchange, which had been suspended for several months, is crucial for ensuring stable power supply as Ecuador approaches its dry season, a period characterized by reduced river flows and consequently, lower hydroelectric generation capacity.

According to the National Electricity Operator (Cenace), Ecuador was importing 2,542 megawatt-hours (MWh) as of Wednesday morning, accounting for approximately 5.67% of the national demand. Concurrently, the Ministry of Environment and Energy confirmed that maintenance on the Mazar and Coca Codo Sinclair plants has concluded. The next facility scheduled for intervention is the Multipropósito Baba.

Colombia's Minister of Mines and Energy, Edwin Palma Egea, stated that daily exports are expected to reach around 8.6 gigawatt-hours, equivalent to an average power of 358 megawatts. This volume is sufficient to cover over 8% of Ecuador's electricity demand. Minister Palma also announced the establishment of mechanisms to enable energy export contracts between companies from both countries.

As previously reported, Colombia had reactivated its regulatory framework for International Energy Transactions (TIE) in July, prioritizing its domestic market supply. This reactivation opened the door for electricity imports to Ecuador ahead of its dry season.

The Ministry of Environment and Energy indicated that the planned work on Mazar and Coca Codo Sinclair is complete, and the Multipropósito Baba plant will be the next to undergo technical interventions. The availability of imported electricity will allow these maintenance tasks to proceed without compromising the national system's operation. These activities are part of a preventive strategy to guarantee generation capacity during the dry season, when reservoir water levels drop and hydroelectric production decreases.

The maintenance tasks include technical inspections, electromechanical equipment servicing, and component replacements. The goal is to minimize the risk of failures in infrastructure vital for the country's electricity supply. The energy cooperation between Ecuador and Colombia is resuming after a suspension that began in January 2026, following Colombia's official reactivation of energy export operations through a resolution authorizing cross-border electricity trade.