Articles

The Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant — the backbone of Ecuador's power grid — will be formally accepted from Chinese builder Sinohydro by April 17, despite thousands of unfixed fissures in critical equipment. Ecuador will return roughly $200 million in guarantees. Here's why this matters for Cuenca and the risk of future blackouts.

Over 21,000 people have been affected by flooding across 24 provinces since the rainy season kicked off January 1. But there's an upside expats will appreciate: the reservoirs feeding Ecuador's hydroelectric plants are filling fast, making a repeat of 2024's devastating blackouts increasingly unlikely.

Ecuador's 2024 blackouts hit 14 hours a day. Here's the 2026 outlook: new plants, Turkish floating generators, and heavy rains have improved the grid — but Coca Codo Sinclair's problems haven't gone away. Full power crisis update and practical prep tips for expats.

After the devastating 2024 blackouts that hit Cuenca with up to 14 hours without power daily, the government unveiled its 2025–2030 energy expansion plan. The headline number: 1,471 megawatts of new capacity from solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal. The real question: will it get built?