Less than two months after two earthquakes that left more than 6 dead, the Venezuelan government has asked the population to reduce their consumption of electricity and water in the face of an approaching dry season associated with El Niño.
The warning comes amid restrictions already affecting the supply of electricity and water in the country. Residents and businesses are facing power outages of up to ten hours a day, as well as equipment failures that can prolong blackouts for days and interruptions in the water supply.
According to interim president Delcy Rodríguez, El Niño is already affecting Venezuela and could cause a drought before the end of the year. The phenomenon is associated with the warming of the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean and causes changes in weather patterns in different regions of the world.
Given this scenario, the government began advocating for measures to reduce water and electricity consumption. However, this decision has increased concerns that restrictions may intensify in the coming months.
The announcement also sparked new protests in regions already affected by the cuts. The situation is particularly significant because a large portion of the country's installed capacity is unavailable for operation.
Venezuela has approximately 36 MW of installed generation capacity, but less than 13 MW are actually available. Currently, the deficit between supply and demand exceeds 1,5 MW.
Another factor is the situation of the thermoelectric power plants. According to a report by energy expert Nelson Hernández cited by Reuters, almost 90% of Venezuela's thermal capacity is out of service after years of low investment and delays in maintenance.
As a result, more than 80% of the electricity supply now depends on hydroelectric generation, mainly from the system associated with the Guri dam in the south of the country. This dependence increases the electrical system's exposure to the effects of drought periods.
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