Thursday, March 17, 2016

Widespread Blackouts Loom As Venezuela’s Dams Run out of Water

Although the Venezuelan government blamed the decrease in size of the Guri dam — the fourth largest artificial lake in the world — on El Niño, engineers said recently that the crisis was actually caused by mismanagement of resources, thermal system malfunction and drought. The Simon Bolivar Hydroelectric Plant, second in the world for electricity production, recently saw its water levels decrease to just 3.56 meters above total collapse. “The waters in Guri have not reached the floodgates,” said Luis Motta Domínguez, head of Venezuela’s Electricity Ministry, during a press conference on Monday. “We are working to manage the vital fluid.” But some energy specialists said they believe the country was at the brink of a national blackout. In addition, they said Venezuela has failed to make the necessary investments in thermal-generation plant systems for more than 15 years.
The thermoelectric power system is at 247 meters above sea level, said member of the National Electricity Commission Joel Carrillo. Turbines shut down at 244 meters, which would result in increased electricity rations for more of the population...more


Finally, I actually found a government that mismanages it's resources! lol

If there is one thing the government is good at its making things scarce, even water.

If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage of sand. Milton Friedman

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