QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador has announced an increase in daily power cuts as the severe drought impacting the nation keeps lowering water levels for the key hydroelectric plants, the source of more than 70% of the country’s electricity.

Acting Energy minister Inés Manzano said late Thursday that the authorities are ordering an electricity service suspension from eight to 14 hours a day in the country because the drought has worsened in recent days.

Like other South American countries, Ecuador has faced a prolonged dry season.

The new measures come days after President Daniel Noboa said he anticipated the power cuts in the country of 17 million people to gradually decrease.

“We know the sacrifices that are being made in the context of this serious electricity crisis,” minister Manzano said in a video message on X.

Since mid-September, Ecuador has established an electricity rationing system of up to 10 hours a day in some cities, but the power cut hours announced Thursday are the most extreme so far.

The drought affecting several countries in South America has been linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon.