- The survey carried out by the organization showed that the towns consulted spend an average of 14.9 hours a day without electricity
Venezuela’s electrical system requires an investment of at least 21 billion dollars in a period of between 3 to 5 years, according to a report from the Basic Services Monitor of the Public Expenditure Observatory (OGP) of Cedice Libertad published on Tuesday November 26.
The budget is part of a short and medium plan in which reviews, maintenance and reconditioning of the current infrastructure will be carried out. In addition to promoting the diversification of energy sources in the country.
Failures in the electrical system in Venezuela
The publication collected data from several states in the country in which the electricity service has failures or is supplied with time restrictions, such as Barinas, Falcón, Mérida, Nueva Esparta, Trujillo, Lara and Trujillo.
To carry out the investigation, Cedice Libertad consulted with approximately 2,300 people in 10 states of Venezuela. The surveys were based on the frequency with which the electricity service is suspended, the time in which it is restored, the most affected areas, among others.
This showed that, on average, the locations consulted spend 14.9 hours a day on light.
The additional payments made by Venezuelans to cover electricity deficiencies range between 20 and 30 dollars per month. The investment in purchases, maintenance and rental of power plants, as well as supplies and improvised flashlights, is substantial,” reads the organization’s report.
In addition to this, Cedice took as a reference for the publications of 25 digital media outlets that warned about the power failures through complaints made by the inhabitants themselves.
The Basic Services Monitor of the Public Expenditure Observatory indicated that 72% of those consulted described the Venezuelan electrical system as “unstable,” as well as “vulnerable” and “deteriorated.”
Nueva Esparta in electrical crisis
One of the states currently suffering the consequences of the electrical crisis is Nueva Esparta. Inhabitants of different areas of Margarita Island have recently reported power outages lasting 10 hours.
The lack of electricity supply corresponds to an explosion that occurred on November 11 at PDVSA’s Muscar gas plant, in the Ezequiel Zamora municipality of Monagas state.
After a week with electrical failures and the suspension of service between 12 and 20 continuous hours, the Minister of Petroleum, Delcy Rodríguez, assured that the electrical problems in that state are due to a “terrorist attack” on the Muscar Complex in Monagas. This system injects gas into the Juan Bautista Arismendi and Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi thermoelectric plants.
Given this, Raúl Córdoba, coordinator of the OGP investigation, described the situation of the island’s inhabitants as “extremely difficult,” which in turn has caused damage to the supply of gas, an essential mineral for the operation of thermoelectric plants. that supply electricity to the region.
“As a result, Margarita, known for being an important tourist destination, has faced prolonged blackouts that have paralyzed commercial activities and affected the daily lives of its inhabitants,” said the economist.
To help avoid prolonged power outages, Cedice Libertad recommended enhancing the knowledge of those who manage the electrical system, reformulating the tariff scheme of the national electrical system and promoting changes in administrative management.
Poor water quality
In relation to the water supply service, the Cedice survey indicated that 85% of the participants stated that the water reaches their homes dirty and with a foul odor. While 70% of those interviewed stated that the water that reaches their pipes contains sediment and, sometimes, has a bad taste.
The entities in the country with the highest incidences in terms of water according to the Basic Services Monitor of the Public Expenditure Observatory are Aragua, Anzoátegui, Falcón, Lara and Nueva Esparta.
To improve this, the organization suggested strengthening and empowering the community organization, guiding civil organizations in the effective measurement of water quality in the communities, developing and deploying a formal institution-citizen interaction channel.
In addition, Cedice recommended addressing sectoral needs in terms of quality in the provision of the service and articulating the diagnosis of the problems of continuity and availability of water.
Domestic gas by cylinder
Regarding the domestic gas cylinder service, the Cedice report indicated that 87% of the Venezuelans consulted use the LPG cylinder gas service (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). Filling is carried out under a manual distribution scheme.
Another 11% stated that they use firewood or cook with charcoal, because the supply of this service is deficient in Apure, Anzoátegui, Guárico, Miranda and Yaracuy.
“33% of those interviewed have requested the installation of direct gas, but some suppliers have rates that range between 100 and 200 dollars. Additionally, the national company (Pdvsa Gas) assured that coverage records are not updated to expand services,” said the Cedice Libertad Monitor.
To conclude, Cedice shared several recommendations to improve the service, some of them are related to developing an updated diagnosis that allows privatizing some sections of the process, encouraging the formation of civil or community organizations to make current problems in the provision of the service tangible and designing a two-way communication channel with managing institutions to channel and formalize complaints.
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