Bogota Colombia — Colombia’s government on Tuesday launched new incentives to reduce electricity consumption in the South American nation, which has been hit by a severe drought that has diminished the capacity of local hydroelectric plants and officials were on the verge of imposing power cuts.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy said that in the coming weeks, households and businesses that exceed their average monthly electricity consumption will be charged additional fees for each extra kilowatt-hour used, while those that use less electricity than usual will be rewarded. with discounts.
Colombian officials hope the measures will help reduce consumption and recover local reservoirs.
“We want to stop the waste of electricity, especially among large consumers,” Andrés Camacho, Colombia’s minister of mines and energy, wrote in X. He added that the decision to close government offices last Friday and a recent increase in rainfall raised the level of local reservoirs by about 2% over the weekend.
Colombia normally gets 70% of its electricity from dams, but a prolonged dry season, caused by the El Niño weather pattern, has boosted imports of fossil fuels and made the country more dependent on operating power plants. with natural gas and currently supply 50%. of the country’s electrical needs.
The dry season, which began late last year, has also threatened drinking water supplies.
Authorities in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá, began rationing water last week by dividing the city into nine districts that will have their water supply cut off for 24 hours, on a rotating basis.
Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said last week that the city will impose fines on people who wash their cars on the streets and engage in other activities that are considered wasteful. He also asked residents to refrain from showering daily as is customary in Colombia, especially on days when they will not leave their homes.
Rising temperatures in the Pacific Ocean often cause heavy rain along the western coast of South America, but can also cause droughts in the interior of the continent, including the northern part of the Andes Mountains.
This year’s prolonged dry season has also caused power outages in Ecuador, which normally gets 75% of its electricity from hydropower.
Homes and businesses in Ecuador’s major cities were cut off from the power grid for at least three hours each day last week, and President Daniel Noboa ordered the closure of businesses and schools on Thursday and Friday as part of an effort to save energy and help recover reservoirs. . Power outages have continued this week in several cities, including the capital Quito, and are affecting hospitals, schools and factories.
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