Energy
Instead of implementing new measures allowing electric utilities to provide "a reliable and high-quality service," the government has issued "compulsive and inconsistent decrees to hide its incompetence," said Miguel Lara, former general manager of the Office of Interconnected Systems Operation (Opsis).

In his view, Minister of Energy and Petroleum Rafael Ramírez, "in an attempt at concealing the true origin of the problem, has said that in recent years Venezuela has recorded an unprecedented growth in power demand."

Lara added that the demand "increase over a 10-year period recorded by Opsis," which now is called National Management Center, "show that from 1988 to 1998 the average yearly growth rate was 4 percent in maximum demand and 5.5 percent in energy consumption, while from 1998 to 2008, maximum demand increased by 4.2 percent and consumption averaged 4 percent per year, respectively."

In other words, "the average growth is not excessive. On the contrary, energy consumption increased at a slower pace in the past 10 years."

Lara explained that "the measures adopted" would unfairly affect only those subscribers with electricity meters.

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas

Mariela León
EL UNIVERSAL