( Spanish) – The recent energy crisis in Ecuador, which has generated blackouts throughout the country for three weeks, is impacting not only the homes and businesses of Ecuadorians but also a neuralgic sector of the economy such as the industrial and business sector, which ignited the alerts this weekend.
The executive president of the Chamber of Industries and Production of Ecuador, María Paz Jervis, announced this Saturday through your X account that the Government ordered 100% rationing of energy to the industrial sector for 10 hours a day for 15 days and warned about the possible consequences that this measure would have.
“The serious energy crisis is the result of a statist model. The reality is that the country does not have electricity. However, pretending that the crisis is solved by rationing 100% of energy to the industrial sector from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the next 15 days threatens employment and citizens. The industrial sector is the engine of the economy and if they turn it off they will generate an economic and social crisis. The bill is going to be higher in the medium term,” Jervis warned.
Meanwhile, the Quito Chamber of Commerce reported in a statement that it “views with concern the Government’s decision to disconnect the industrial sector” in order to protect the hydroelectric dams.
“We understand the seriousness of the energy crisis and the need to take urgent measures. However, these actions should not be implemented without considering the devastating impact on production, employment and the economy,” the union emphasized.
The Quito Chamber of Commerce insisted that many jobs cannot be maintained with such a drastic measure.
“Commerce and industrial companies will not be able to sustain jobs under these conditions. It is essential that, in addition to facing the emergency, the productive engine of the country is protected,” he said.
The industrial unions ask the Government to look for other solutions such as the more efficient use of energy and an alternative energy plan to avoid a lower social and economic impact.
The mayor of Cuenca, Cristian Zamora, asked the Government to “re-evaluate” its decision.
“This measure will trigger an extremely complex economic crisis with greater job losses,” he said.
Zamora proposed that alternative criteria be applied to restrict energy to sectors that least affect the economy and called for better organization to reduce consumption and “avoid another crisis.”
consulted the Ministry of Energy and the Communication Secretariat of the Presidency about the alerts issued by business associations and is awaiting a response.
On October 1, the Ministry of Energy asked the industrial sector to connect to its own power generators 24 hours a day to reduce demand on the national electricity system. It also gave the option for those who cannot do it during that time to do it from 6 AM to 6 PM daily.
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