Tuesday, February 09, 2010
CARACAS: President Hugo Chavez signed a decree declaring an energy emergency in Venezuela to facilitate his government's efforts to ease severe energy shortages.
``We've been working on this because it's a necessity. The truth is, it's an emergency,'' Chavez said Monday.
Under the decree, Venezuelans who use more than 500kilowatt-hours of electricity per month _ an estimated 24 percent of all residential consumers _ must reduce their consumption by 10percent or be required to pay a 75 percent price increase.
Those who increase consumption by 10 percent will be slapped with a 100 percent price increase. If they boost usage by 20 percent, the price hike rises to 200 percent.
Venezuela imposed electricity and water rationing in December to prevent a collapse of the electricity grid as water levels behind the Guri Dam fell to critical lows. The dam supplies most of Venezuela's electricity.
CARACAS: President Hugo Chavez signed a decree declaring an energy emergency in Venezuela to facilitate his government's efforts to ease severe energy shortages.
``We've been working on this because it's a necessity. The truth is, it's an emergency,'' Chavez said Monday.
Under the decree, Venezuelans who use more than 500kilowatt-hours of electricity per month _ an estimated 24 percent of all residential consumers _ must reduce their consumption by 10percent or be required to pay a 75 percent price increase.
Those who increase consumption by 10 percent will be slapped with a 100 percent price increase. If they boost usage by 20 percent, the price hike rises to 200 percent.
Venezuela imposed electricity and water rationing in December to prevent a collapse of the electricity grid as water levels behind the Guri Dam fell to critical lows. The dam supplies most of Venezuela's electricity.
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