By Alexandra Valencia
QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador's government has announced the suspension of electricity service for nine hours on Sunday in 12 of the Andean nation's 24 provinces and placed 19 areas on red alert due to a drought that has reduced the water levels of hydroelectric plants.
The blackout in the provinces will be from 8:00 a.m. local time until 5:00 p.m., the Ecuadorian presidency said in a statement released Saturday night on X. It is in addition to the government's plans announced on Tuesday for eight-hour nightly power cuts nationwide from Monday to Thursday.
Ecuador is gripped by the worst drought in the country in 61 years and an energy crisis made worse by what the government says is lack of maintenance of existing dams and contracts to ensure new energy generation.
The Ecuadorian authorities said the extra suspension of electricity for Sunday was based on "protecting water resources."
The measure was taken after a session of the Emergency Operations Committee on Saturday night.
"We are in 19 provinces with shortages of water, fires and food security (issues)," Environment Minister Ines Manzano told reporters in Cuenca on Saturday. "The corresponding entities must accept and comply with the resolution declaring a red alert."
After the government announced the planned power cuts on Tuesday, the military entered the Mazar hydroelectric plant, of about 170 megawatts and considered key for its large storage capacity, to support its operation and protect it.