Ecuador’s Blackouts: The High Cost of State-Controlled Electricity

A view of Ecuador’s capital Quito while the city was still illuminated, before a national scheduled fourteen-hour blackout on Oct. 25, 2024. Rodrigo Buendia/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

Recently, Ecuador has faced a severe energy crisis, with power outages lasting up to 10 hours daily, affecting millions of citizens. The main causes are a prolonged drought and a highly centralized electricity sector.