Drought Has Venezuela Looking at Alternatives to Hydropower

Reuters An electrician went to work on power cables in Caracas, Venezuela, on Monday. The country has come dangerously close to a major collapse in electricity generation because of falling water levels in reservoirs at its main hydroelectric dam.

A severe drought in Venezuela appears to be pushing the country’s president, Hugo Chávez, to ramp up efforts to diversify the country’s energy portfolio.

Up to now, hydropower has been the major energy source in Venezuela — providing residents and industry with up to two-thirds of the total electricity produced. But a record lack of rainfall has resulted in low water flows and several power interruptions — as well as angry recriminations of the government from some Venezuelans ahead of upcoming legislative elections scheduled for September.

Mr. Chávez, citing the electricity crisis, declared a state of emergency last month, and the government has pointed to rapidly rising electricity demand as a chief component of the problem.

Critics have said poor management and underinvestment in the energy sector are also to blame.

Now the country is hunting for new ways to produce electricity, and according to Bloomberg News, Mr. Chávez is urging his government to pursue wind and nuclear projects as alternatives.

According to the news agency, Venezuela aims to add 5,000 megawatts of capacity this year alone.

That’s slightly less than half of the total wind power capacity added in Europe last year.

A “national electricity fund” — with $2 billion of seed financing — has already been established to kick off the projects.

Both General Electric and Gamesa of Spain have already recieved orders for wind turbines from Venezuela, and the country’s first wind farm is expected to be completely installed by Gamesa this summer.

Situated in the northern province of Falcón and slated for a total capacity of 100 megawatts, it is the first of a number of farms planned near the 4,000 kilometer long coastline.

Mr. Chávez also vowed to ramp up development of nuclear power in Venezuela — a touchy topic in inter-American relations. Mr. Chávez has long argued that the United States and other nuclear powers do not have the right to prevent poorer nations from developing nuclear technology of their own. He has also been a staunch defender of Iran’s nuclear program.

“The U.S. can say whatever they want to say, but we’re going to develop nuclear energy,
This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.