Beyond rehabilitation work, Ecuador incorporated 596.8 MW of new firm generation and leased capacity during 2025. The Alluriquín facility provided 205.4 MW, Quevedo added 54.4 MW, and Santa Elena contributed 8.5 MW. Leased generation from projects including KPS-CELEC EP, Esclusas 1 and 2, El Descanso II, and Gas Vesubio operates under contracts extending through 2026 and 2027 depending on individual project terms.
The 2026 recovery program already achieved 90.5 MW restoration in January through work at Manduriacu (32.5 MW), Trinitaria (8 MW additional), Álvaro Tinajero (30 MW), and Machala II (20 MW). The government projects further capacity additions including 230 MW from ELECAUSTRO leasing in July 2026, the 45 MW Hidroquest project in August 2026, and HidroOriente’s 100 MW scheduled for late 2027. A 300 MW barge leasing arrangement extends through 2028, while the Villonaco III wind facility targets 110 MW for the third quarter of 2027.
The distributed generation program under CNEL EP currently operates 1,244 connected systems totaling 54.95 MW across the coastal distribution network. The utility projects qualifying an additional 100 MW during 2026 under the SGDA framework, which permits regulated consumers to install self-generation capacity and inject surplus production into the grid. The Ministry launched a hosting capacity map to support distributed generation planning decisions.
In northern Ecuador, Portoviejo municipality initiated the MegaHidro project with street construction beginning in the El Negrital urban zone, representing infrastructure development spanning more than 45 streets in the northern sector.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
