Venezuela: Electrical Line Explosion in Galipán Leaves La Guaira Without Electricity Service – Sharp Deterioration of Public Utilities
A failure at the transmission level in the Cota Mil-Guaira 69 circuit, with a report of explosions in the heights of Picacho Galipán (El Avila mountain), Macuto parish, caused a loss of electrical service in almost 70% of La Guaira state for more than 14 hours this Wednesday.
The service interruption began around midnight, according to users’ reports, and service was gradually reestablished beginning around 4 p.m.
Parishes such as Maiquetía, La Guaira, Macuto, Caraballeda, Naiguatá, and Caruao were affected and only Carlos Solublette, Urimare, Catía La Mar, Carayaca, and El Junko, that is to say areas in the West, had electrical service. The airport operations of Maiquetía that were not affected.
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A helicopter and a crew of 35 Corpoelec workers were deployed to Picacho to take care of the failure, said Andrés Goncalves, La Guaira’s secretary of Citizen Security.
“We will have a helicopter from the Vice Presidency of the Republic that will fly over all the towers, authorized by the Vice President of Public Works, Néstor Reverol,” said Goncalves. “We have two groups: one in Boca de Tigre and one in Cotiza. We are more than 35 people involved in the work.”
Health centers and medical triages were not affected, as well as the transport sector, shops, and basic services in the state.
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In recent weeks Venezuela’s public utilities have suffered from increased interruptions, including electrical blackouts, and evinced an overall worsening in the already deficient service, ranging from garbage disposal, internet service provided by CANTV, water service, and repair of water damages, to electrical blackouts and surges affecting the normal lives of Venezuelans already struggling with the adverse effects of the US and European economic blockade.
The role of the blockade cannot be underestimated as the primary cause for the deterioration of public utilities and services in Venezuela, but also corruption, inefficiency, and meager wages must also be pointed out as important elements to take into account concerning any real attempt to improve these services.
“For several months already we have been suffering from a very deficient internet services,” said the editor of Orinoco Tribune when questioned about the issue, “but for the last weeks we have daily interruptions of our internet service. In addition, the building from which we operate, in the El Paraiso neighborhood, has a water issue that has prevented us from accessing running water for more than three weeks, despite several formal complaints to Hidrocapital’s offices,”
“We complain, but with some shame, because we know that many living in the countryside, meaning outside of Caracas, have to deal with this reality on steroids,” he added. “But the truth is that the issues are getting worse, aggravated by the complex problems of gasoline, and most recently diesel.”
Featured image: Referential photo.
(Ultimas Noticias) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
