Colombia is the first option for dealing with the dry season. The Minister of Energy and Mining, Fernando Santos Alvite, indicates that Ecuador is still negotiating the purchase of energy from that country, but if this does not materialize, “we will have to call for a tender for the purchase of emergency energy.”

The official points out that last week President Guillermo Lasso spoke with his colleague Gustavo Petro to explore the possibility that, considering the upcoming dry season, the neighboring country could provide energy in quantities similar to those of last year. This shows that imports in the dry season amounted to 837.33 GWh.

Construction of a 500,000-volt electric highway between Ecuador and Peru takes shape and already has financing

Although “bringing energy from Colombia would imply values ​​higher than what we imported in the last dry season, since they would have to use liquid fuels, and the value, if they can, would be about 20 cents (KWh)”, the other alternative would be more expensive.

The minister comments that “if this initiative to solve the drought is not realized at the end of the year, it will be necessary to call for a tender for the procurement of intervention energy, which will cost more, about 30 percent more”.

According to the official, in a few months it would be around 300 MW/h, since the turbines of Termo Machala will also be trained. He believes that “it will be an expensive solution, but very necessary in order to overcome the dry season without a lack of supply.” The Ecuadorian Electricity Corporation (Celec) already has bidding rules ready,” he says.

Power generation at Termogás Machala is done with scarce gas and even diesel during peak hours

According to the minister, purchasing energy from Colombia last year “was the best way to overcome the drought.” Fast, simple and economical, as well as solidarity because when one country has surpluses and other needs, they complement each other”, he believes, adding that these months we have been selling energy to Colombia. From March to July, the export of electricity to the neighboring country amounted to 19.13 million dollars, which corresponds to 313.77 GWh.

But the option for the Colombian president “seems difficult”, since his country would also face dry weather. “However, we are still in negotiations. It would be much cheaper to get power from Colombia during the dry season, because there is an interconnection line,” says Santos.