Venezuela: A Deeper Look at the Electricity Crisis

An El Nino-spawned drought, rising demand and years of neglect have brought Venezuela's electrical grid to the brink of collapse. The most telling sign is the reservoir level at the Guri dam, which, along with two other nearby dams, provides around 70 percent of the nation's electricity. As of March 18, the reservoir level stood at approximately 252 meters above sea level, placing it dangerously close to the dam's "collapse level." If this level were to be reached, 80 percent of the dam's power generation turbines would have to be shut down, resulting in rolling blackouts throughout much of the country. If that happened, Venezuela's electricity crisis would become a political crisis for President Hugo Chavez.