Ecuador's government will stop rationing electricity nationwide just before the holidays

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador’s government will stop rationing electricity services just before the holidays, President Daniel Noboa — who was heavily criticized for the cuts resulting in three months of daily interruptions — announced Tuesday. Normal service will resume on Dec. 20.

The government attributed the electricity rationing to the worst drought the country has seen in decades. The supply was also affected by neighboring Colombia's decision to stop selling energy to Ecuador.

Noboa — who is seeking reelection next year — explained on social media that improvements to existing infrastructure, as well as heavy and widespread rains since the beginning of December, contributed to his decision to restore services.

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He thanked Ecuadorians, some of whom experienced outages of up to 14 hours a day, for their “resilience and strength.”

The power cuts, which began in mid-September, caused businesses collective losses of about $7.5 billion, according to industry groups.