20100113 Venezuela announces nationwide energy rationing

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn Venezuela's government imposed rolling blackouts of up to four hours every other day throughout the country on Tuesday to combat an energy crisis. rationing is necessary to prevent water levels in Guri Dam -- the cornerstone of Venezuela's energy system -- from falling to critical lows and causing a widespread power collapse. Drought has cut the flow of water into the dam, which feeds three hydroelectric plants that supply 73 percent of Venezuela's electricity. water levels at the dam in southeastern Venezuela have dropped drastically as a result of the El Nino weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, saying "it's a global phenomenon and it's affected us in recent months." He noted there has been particularly little rain in southeastern Venezuela, where the watershed that feeds Guri is located. The government recently reduced the hours of electricity supply for shopping centers and required businesses and large residential complexes to cut energy use by 20 percent or face fines.