Venezuela is the fifth highest country in the world in its investment of resources in energy, reaching $35 billion in oil and basic industries, said Félix Rodríguez, commissioner of power generation of Venezuela’s National Power Corporation (Corpoelec).
“While the world crisis is devastating the economy in the United States and Europe, in our country there are billions worth of investments under development,” he said.
Rodríguez highlighted that the three new areas created in Copoelec (generation, transmission and distribution) will allow for the improvement of operations by streamlining the organizing structure.
“During working sessions led by workers, they concluded that the electric sector existing Venezuela had great dispersion in terms of policies as well as in resources, and the global experiences showed the need to get organized by processes,” he explained.
The Venezuelan official said that the power generation will be organized by regions to neutralize the organization. “For example, Electrificación del Caroní (EDELCA) [Venezuela's largest supplier of hydroelectric power] is not going to exist from the operational point of view. The company’s personnel related to power generation will report to the commissioner. Nevertheless, the company maintains its legal entity. This process will take time so it can achieve practical improvements. We are working to go forward in the transition,” he clarified.
Rodríguez also highlighted the importance of the strategy developed by the Ministry of People’s Power for Electric Energy to seek the balance between thermal and hydroelectric energy.
He mentioned the El Chorrín hydroelectric plant which will be built in the region of Guayana (southeast), and financed by the Chinese Fund. “We are looking for potential small hydroelectric plants which benefit nearby communities in that area. The idea is not no waste water,” he said.
In Los Valles del Tuy, in the village of Santa Lucía, located on Caracas’ southeast, a solar power plant will be installed. “In the next five years, almost 500 megawatts in wind power is expected to be produced in La Guajira [northwest], Coche [northeast], Margarita [northeast], and Paraguaná [northwest],” he added.
Rodríguez said that plants to assemble parts are being built to promote technological sovereignty. One of the plants is located in the town of Carora, Lara state (west), where Chinese-technology in the form of energy meters for the national market will be fabricated.
AVN/Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. /August 23, 2010
