Colombian Mining and Energy Minister Hernan Martinez announced Monday that the government is willing to sell electricity to neighboring nation Ecuador, to help overcome current deficiencies caused by drought in the country.
According to Martinez, Colombia has offered to sell the Ecuadorian government at least a portion of what the country needs, after severe droughts rendered Ecuador’s main hydroelectricity power plant ineffective.
“They [Ecuador] have requested up to seven gigawatts per hour per day, I think that if we cannot give them all of it, we can give them at least three or four gigawatts per hour per day,” said the minister.
Martinez added that Colombia was able to make the offer to Ecuador due to the fact that a previous offer by Colombia to sell energy to Venezuela in February had been rejected by the socialist nation.
In December Colombia renewed energy supply agreements with Ecuador, ensuring a regular sale of electricity to the country during its period of drought.