Workers with the power sector urge Venezuelan government to declare emergency

Top members of Venezuela's National Federation of Electrical Workers (Fetraelec) urged senior government officials to declare an emergency in the electrical sector, given the repeated power failures and disruptions.

Early this year electrical workers started complaining about the gradual deterioration of the service. Trade unions have resorted to rallies, demonstrations, and meetings with the press and appearances before the National Assembly to warn against the current situation facing the sector. This is the second time ever since then that they have urged authorities to declare power emergency.

Ángel Navas, who is the head of the Federation, told members of the Committee on Energy and Mines, National Assembly, that the government should make a "quick and profound" diagnosis of the crisis and "act promptly;" otherwise the problems will continue.

During his presentation, the union leader reiterated that it was urgent to designate a high-level presidential committee, composed by the Ministries of Energy and Petroleum, Finance, Planning and Development, and Science and Technology, aimed at detecting the causes of the growing deterioration of the electric sector.

"This committee must prepare a report within a month, including solutions to the problem and the commitment to adopt such solutions. On the contrary, electrical failures and disruptions will continue," said Navas. He stressed that the crisis is "structural" since it has lasted for years and is "widespread" because problems go beyond operational concerns.

In addition to the infusion of resources to build new thermal plants and the recovery of old hydroelectric power stations, the suitability of the distribution network and transmission lines must go hand in hand, Navas said.

Together with this assessment, authorities should implement energy and environmental policies, secure the financial sustainability of the sector's plans, propose adequate fares based on production costs, launch an energy-saving national campaign, and promote rational use of electricity. The government must establish rules that prevent government agencies from having outstanding debt with power utilities. The government should also create the Ministry of Electricity.