Ecuador power crisis punishes economy

Dark times: A street vendor uses a generator-powered light bulb amid rolling blackouts in Ecuador. The country is hoping to reduce its dependence on hydroelectric power. — AP

Quito (Ecuador): Life without electricity is wearing on Ecuadorians, punishing their already frail economy and raising questions about the political future.

Daily blackouts stretch for 10 hours at a time, and they could get worse in the coming months as a dry spell further tests the country’s reliance on hydropower.