Colombia Suspends Power Exports to Ecuador Over Shortage Risk

Colombia has officially halted power exports to Ecuador in response to the severe El Niño phenomenon and the risk of domestic shortages. The move comes as Colombia's power system is under greater strain due to lower water inflows, rising consumption, and the potential for worsening weather conditions. The Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) activated the period of risk of shortages, prompting the suspension of Short-Term International Electricity Transactions (TIE) on October 7.

This decision prioritizes domestic demand as water inflows have remained below average for four consecutive months, and August saw an all-time high in demand of 263.27 GWh per day. While there is no scheduled power rationing in Colombia at the moment, the preventive measure aims to safeguard the reliability of the system. The suspension also has economic implications, as electricity exports to Ecuador generated 530 billion Colombian pesos (around US$165.6 billion) for Colombia's energy system between January 2025 and August 2026.

However, the infrastructure connecting the two countries' power systems remains functional, allowing occasional technical electricity flows. Ecuador, which heavily relies on hydroelectric generation and faces limited capacity to cope with prolonged droughts, now must contend with the challenge of sustaining its power system on its own resources, as it did during the 2024 El Niño-induced power crisis that led to up to 14 hours of daily outages.