The Port of Palm Beach District expedited the shipment of seventy seven generators through its tenant Port Contractors to help alleviate a national power crisis in Ecuador. The generators, each weighing 65,000 lbs. with a combined weight exceeding 2,500 tons, arrived in the Port of Palm Beach from various locations throughout the continental United States. The generators have left the Port of Palm Beach District and arrived in Santiago de Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador, on January 15th.

The generators are being leased to Ecuador for one year at a cost of approximately $150 million by Energy International which operates out of its headquarters in Miami.  In the past, Ecuador has been largely dependent on hydroelectric power. A severe drought has greatly reduced available power and has resulted in nation-wide rationing of power in Ecuador. The Ecuadorian Ministry of Electricity hopes to have the generators integrated into their nation power system by January 25.