Ecuador's Celec readies flood defenses and seeks to end $90 M contract

The state-owned Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador (Celec) has begun weekly inspections and maintenance of the Baba Multipurpose Complex in Los Ríos province to prepare for the expected El Niño‑related floods. The project, which includes a 42‑MW hydroelectric plant and water‑transfer facilities that support irrigation and downstream flow in the Quevedo River basin, is being closely monitored for dam water levels, precipitation and structural integrity to safeguard up to 20,000 hectares of farmland.

Separately, Celec is pursuing the unilateral termination of a $89.9 million contract with Austral Technical Management (ATM) for the Esmeraldas III thermoelectric generators. After an arbitration ruling in mid‑July lifted protective measures that had stalled the process, the company moved forward, but as of 29 July the termination had not been entered into the national public procurement portal, leaving the final administrative steps unresolved.