The Minister of Energy and Mines, Inés Manzano, said that the mistake of making comparisons with what happened last year is being made. She also rejected the possibility of a drought.

For Ecuador's Minister of Energy and Mines, Inés Manzano, "there is no possibility of a blackout in April" and there will not be a "dry season." "Remember, 'April rains' is because there is rain," she added. She also mentioned that what happened in that month last year, when there were power cuts, was due to "poor management."

Hydrological conditions have improved in Ecuador, which has favored the recovery of reservoirs. President Daniel Noboa even stated on February 18, during a television interview, that citizens can be “relaxed” regarding power cuts this year and in 2026.

Minister Manzano said that the Government has recovered 700 megawatts (MW), of which 500 MW correspond to thermal power plants and the rest is from hydroelectric plants, such as Baba and Sopladora, where improvements were made.

He added that there is also Toachi Pilatón, which is 204 MW, and from there are the three barges, which together add up to 300 MW, each 100 MW. “What I want to tell the citizens is that there is no possibility of a blackout in April and I also want to say that there is no drought in April. The mistake is being made of comparing with what happened last year, but there is no drought, remember that 'April waters a thousand' is because there is rain,” he said.

Mazar with 20 meters difference

According to the minister, what “happened last year was poor management at the beginning of the administration of that minister and his or her work team.” She explained that there is currently a 20-meter difference, as of February 17, between what Mazar is and what it was last year. “20 meters of difference, do you know what that means? That the national government has made efforts, efforts and more efforts so that this does not happen, it never happens to us again in April, which is not a dry season,” she reiterated.

The Mazar reservoir is currently above its maximum level of 2,153 metres above sea level (m asl). It reached that level on 10 February, according to Minister Manzano.

Now it has even surpassed those records, as of this Wednesday, February 19, the altitude is 2,154.34 m above sea level.

However, in April of last year, when there were power cuts, it approached the minimum level, which is 2,098 m above sea level. It was there around 2,106.35 m above sea level, specifically on April 17.