CARACAS, Venezuela, March 27 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) -Venezuelan schools and offices were ordered to shut down for 24 hours, as officials worked to restore electricity, following a second widespread blackout, Communications Minister, Jorge Rodriguez, said.
The move came a day after the country’s central hydroelectric plant at the Guri Dam in south-eastern Venezuela suffered at least two new attacks, knocking out power across several regions, the official said.
“The government has, from the moment of the attacks, deployed all its efforts to restore electricity, as soon as possible, throughout the country,” Rodriguez said.
He also posted photographs on Twitter of the purported Monday night arson attack on the Guri plant, showing part of the facility engulfed in flames.
“The criminals started a fire at Guri’s 765 kVA (kilo-volt-amp) patio, with the vicious intent to definitively damage the generation and transmission of electricity,” Rodriguez said.
The plant, in south-east Bolivar state, generates almost two-thirds of Venezuela’s electricity.
A large portion of the country, including the capital Caracas, was left without power, as of 10.00 p.m. local time (0200 GMT on Tuesday).
Venezuela suffered its worst blackout earlier this month, when a power outage plunged nearly the entire country in darkness for about five days, and temporarily shuttered schools and offices.
Officials have blamed the blackouts on sabotage by U.S.-backed right-wing extremists, trying to undermine the government.
“Firefighters fought the fire all night until they were able to put it out completely at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday (1245 GMT),” he added.
Monday night’s fire was preceded by an attack earlier in the day, that briefly caused a power outage.– NNN-PRENSA LATINA
