Ecuador Hit by Nationwide Blackout Due to Energy Transmission Failure

A failure in an energy transmission line has plunged Ecuador into a nationwide blackout, leaving millions of citizens without power. The government is working to restore service as soon as possible.

**Quito, Ecuador** - A failure in an energy transmission line has resulted in a nationwide blackout in Ecuador, leaving millions of citizens without power. The government has announced that efforts are underway to restore service as soon as possible.

The blackout occurred on Wednesday, leaving most cities in Ecuador without electricity for several hours. The outage affected essential services such as traffic lights, businesses, and public transportation, causing widespread disruption.

Ecuador Hit by Nationwide Blackout Due to Energy Transmission Failure

According to the Minister of Energy, Roberto Luque, the failure was reported by the country's National Electricity Operator and caused a "cascade disconnection." He added that repair crews are working to fix the faulty power lines and restore power to affected areas.

In some sectors of the country, the outage lasted for approximately 20 minutes, while in others, power remained out for longer periods. Social media users and local media reported that the blackout extended into the evening hours in many major cities.

Ecuador Hit by Nationwide Blackout Due to Energy Transmission Failure

Emilia Cevallos, a waitress in a restaurant north of Quito, described the blackout as surprising and unexpected. "We thought it was only in our area, but when we left, we realized that most businesses had no electricity. The traffic lights were also out," she said.

The Quito municipality deployed traffic agents to coordinate the flow of traffic in the absence of functioning traffic lights. Quito Metro, the company that operates the city's subway system, announced the suspension of service due to the electrical failure.

Ecuador has been facing an electricity generation crisis since last year, which has led to power rationing throughout the country. In April, the government began rationing electricity in major cities due to a prolonged drought linked to the El Niño weather pattern. The drought has depleted water reservoirs and limited output at hydroelectric plants, which generate approximately 75% of Ecuador's power.

The nationwide blackout on Wednesday has further exacerbated Ecuador's energy crisis, highlighting the urgent need for the government to address the country's electricity shortage.