For the past few months, Venezuelans have been experiencing rolling blackouts related to weakening electricity infrastructure. The national electrical grid relies heavily on hydropower, and the Guri dam, in eastern Venezuela, is the heart of the system. Water levels at the dam have fallen to "emergency" levels and — barring sufficient rainfall or significant slowdowns in depletion rates — could reach "collapse" levels by late May. President Hugo Chavez already has faced public protests over blackouts and conservation-oriented electricity cutoffs. Though he has weathered political crises for years, the possibility exists that the collapse of the Guri dam could spark a public backlash, presenting Chavez with a power crisis unlike any he has experienced before.
