Nelson petroleum Hernandez, engineer and expert in energy, affirms that the present electrical crisis will arrive at their algider point when the dam of Guri, that most of generates the electricity of the country, arrives at its “inevitable” collapse that will imply the interruption of the service by a time.

Natalie Garci'a
ngarcia@correodelcaroni.com
Photo William Urdaneta

The weight of the generation of all the country falls on the Guri dam, that according to experts “ is being sobreexplotada ” in this drought

Nelson Hernandez, expert engineer in energy, affirms that “the electrical collapse is going to arrive, some say that the 21 of May, others says that before, but doubtlessly that day will arrive it worries and me that nothing is being made to prepare the people”.

To buy candles and nonperishable food they are some of the things that can make the population to support the days that arrive without electrical energy, assures the expert.

Also, the implementation of plans of emergencia on the part of Civil defense and the other organs of rescue also are indispensable for the handling of the possible situations that get to appear during a generalized blackout.

To mitigate effects
It indicates Hernandez who “is not to alarm, but to prepare itself for the event. This is like when a woman it is going to give light, one knows that has a period, and it is prepared for the arrival of the baby, the family it accommodates everything, it plans… that same one we must do we”.

The engineer remembers who recently in Spain a population spent several days without energy, and in the news the people related what did then and how they confronted being without electricity by a prolonged period, which could happen in the country through the lack of generation.

The data of the Office of Operations of Interconnected Systems (Opsis) give account of which the Guri dam for the 29 of March was in the level 250.44 meters on the level of the sea.

The level that was reached the days in which the extraordinary break was applied is not available, which generates mistrust in the electrical experts of the country.

Negative balance
“We have already commented it. We consider that the saving did not achieve its objective to stop the accelerated reduction of Guri, and as soon as it was going to less than mean 17 centimeters reduction, that is to say the consequences were economic than in the own dam and that of which the numbers are not in Opsis generates doubts, is more what it was lost that what was saved”, Hernandez expressed.

On the other hand, the suspension of the service in the Great Caracas, this Sunday, gives account of which something does not walk well in Sistema Eléctrico Nacional (SEN). “The president of the Electricity of Caracas said that the fault was because of rains, but how it is that you say to him to the people who we are in favor thus of the lack of rain and a rain generates faults in the system, I do not understand it, in other countries they fall snowed and the light does not go away”.

According to the expert, all this evidence that in the SEN are serious problems that do not finish for being attacked of root. Also, the government has not managed to incorporate the energy promised in thermoelectrial, which aggravates the situation, because all the weight of the generation is on Guri that already is being without water and it comes near - if it is not already in the level of emergencia established by Edelca.

Weaknesses
It is possible to remember that Venezuela has an installed capacity of generation of 23 thousand megavatios, and as soon as it indeed has about 15 thousand megavatios, insufficient to take care of the demand of the country, that in 2009 arrived to the maximum historical from 17,337 megavatios.

This breach between which there is available and what it is required is what it has originated the policies of obligatory saving and rationing, to avoid the collapse of the SEN and a fault greater than can repel in leaving to the country without energy.

Although the government denies such scenes, the technicians and professionals of Edelca have great preoccupation, like many experts in the area who have worked and toil in the generation companies, reason why can pass and the little strength of the measures that have been implemented lately.

Day “D”

The accelerated reduction of the dam of Guri, to a rate average of 14 centimeters daily, has brought about that every time is major proximity of the collapse level, 240 meters on the level of the sea.

A document made arrive at the writing of this metropolitan newspaper by technicians of Edelca reveals that the call day of the collapse will be the 21 of May. The study realised for that calculation takes like reference that Edelca has turbinado an average 4,644 cubic meters per second, with a contribution average of the Caroní of 760,0 cubic meters per second.