Ecuador's energy minister explained that the average hourly capacity delivered by Colombia on Sunday was 420 megawatts, while this Monday it will be 440 MW.
Colombia resumed its energy exports to Ecuador. On Sunday, November 17, 2024, it sent 420 megawatts and by this Monday it will be 440 MW.
So far, only 450 MW can be received from that country, which is the existing transmission line. However, the Minister of Energy and Mines in charge, Inés Manzano, indicated that there is an opportunity to enable an unused transmission line to be able to receive an additional 150 megawatts through it.
This is one of the efforts made by the counselor at the Ecuadorian Embassy in Colombia, Arturo Félix Wong, who visits the thermal power plants. But the decision to use it is Colombia's, Manzano said in an interview he gave on Sunday night to EcuadorTV.
The minister explained that the average hourly rate dispatched on Sunday by the neighboring country was 420 megawatts and this Monday it will be 440 MW that will be delivered.
Exports resumed after the Colombian government approved the modification of Resolution 40410 of 2024 on November 15, which adopted transitional measures to guarantee national demand.
The new regulations establish that energy from liquid sources will be sold first, that is, diesel, fuel oil, thermal power plants that use these fuels; then thermal power in general, and finally, if there is a surplus or sufficient rainfall, with water.
And prices will depend on that. The executive president of the National Association of Generating Companies (Andeg) of Colombia, Alejandro Castañeda Cuervo, estimates that they could be between 35 and 45 cents per kilowatt if they are liquid; if it is thermal, it could be between 15 and 35 cents, and if it is hydraulic, it would be below those prices.
On the other hand, Manzano announced the reduction of power outages for this week: they will no longer last twelve hours but eight. And he attributed this to improvements in meteorological conditions. The fewer hours of blackout that occurred on Sunday, he indicated, was due to the increase in flow in Coca Codo Sinclair, which is why this hydroelectric plant was operating with five turbines.
The minister commented that rain is forecast for November 19 and 21 in the basin where the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant is located and that is why the decision to reduce the four hours of the twelve hours was also made.