Since people are still not clear about whether rain has anything to do with the water problem, here is a six year proof that it is ALL the Chavez’ Government fault:
1) 2003 report by Veneconomia entitled “Guri at the edge of collapse”.
Some highlights:
a) The water level was at 246.71 meters, last report it is at 264 meters, 18 meters above that “critical” level that required no rationing. Why?
b) On an equivalent date (end of the year) in 2003, the water level was a few meters lower as can be seen in this plot published by Corpoelec on Xmas:
c) The report says that experts suggest starting a savings and rationing program in 2001, it is now 2009
d) The article quantifies the delay in investments up to that point: BEFORE THE OIL BOOM.
2) In October 2009, THREE MONTHS AGO, Caracas Gringo said in no uncertain terms:
“It matters because officials at the Guri hydropower plant/dam operated by Corpoelec subsidiary Edelca report that turbine unit No.2 – which is currently shut down for maintenance – vibrates abnormally when in operation.
The Edelca officials also report that the concrete spillway that funnels water into turbine unit No. 2 has suffered structural damage (“perforations”) about 93 meters above the turbine unit, which make it increasingly difficult to control the volume/flow of water running through the power generation turbine.
However, turbine unit No.2 is only one of seven turbine units currently out of service at Guri, which has 20 turbine units with a combined power generation capacity of 10,000 MW. The other turbine units offline at present include Nos. 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 16.
Regional newspaper Correo del Caroni reports that turbine unit No.8 is almost ready to be restarted.
But Edelca officials at Guri complain that Corpoelec’s insistence that the repairs be accelerated is creating a dangerously unsafe situation in the turbine hall.
One attempt to restart turbine unit No. 8 earlier in October had to be suspended when the turbine’s rotation speed red-lined.
Turbine unit No. 16 has unspecified operational/technical problems which Edelca officials decline to disclose, even off the record. But a union official at Guri tells Caracas Gringo that turbine unit No. 16 is also, like turbine unit No. 2, a prime candidate for a catastrophic failure.
The other inoperative turbine units – Nos. 5, 6, 10 and 12 – are in the process of being maintained/repaired and soon will be restarted, according to Edelca and Corpoelec managers.
But union officials at Guri warn that these inoperative units also have unspecified problems which technicians are having problems repairing.”
So, don’t let Chavez fool you, it is not El Niño and it is not the IVth., it is the ignorance, incompetence and negligence of Chavez and his own Government! And its shows day after day
And by canceling the rationing plan imposed yesterday in Caracas and firingthe very improvised Minister of Electricity tonight, the Venezuelan President is showing, once again, the level of incompetence and improvisation in his administration.
(And today Caracas Gringo is out with another article on Guri that is not exactly very positive)
