Gov't keeps "informational blackout" for the second year in a row

On Friday, November 16, will turn two years after electrical authorities resolved to finish off public information referred to the operations and statistics pertaining to the Venezuelan National Electrical System.

On the website of former Operational Office of Interconnected Systems (Opsis), nowadays National Delivery Center (CND), workers, experts, students and general public interested in the electrical issue were able to know first hand the performance of the electrical grid. Since November 16, such an option does not exist anymore.

According to Jesús Pacheco, a professor with the Department of Energy Conversion and Transportation, Simón Bolívar University, "unsuccessful attempts have been made at hiding what is going on in the electrical grid; the grid expresses itself on its own; just look at the frequent and increasingly longer blackouts" and cuts nationwide, due to shortcomings in the areas of generation, transmission and distribution.

The researcher noted that the "informational blackout" also covers the fuel shortage. State-run oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) is poorly responsive as to supply of fuel associated to the electrical industry, because of its shortage.

"Reports are very helpful to diagnose and correct the problems concerning the grid operation and also allow for orderly planning of the sector," Pacheco insisted on saying.

Translated by Conchita Delgado