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Detachment of Power Lines Caused Blackouts in Caracas Today, Sabotage Not Ruled Out

Venezuela’s Minister of Electric Energy, Néstor Reverol, reported this Thursday, October 14, that “a new attack on the National Electric System” occurred at approximately 10:50 in the morning, when “a detachment occurred on lines 1 and 2 of the 69 KV line from Papelón-Convento in the Capital District (Caracas), affecting the Convento substation, which is a nodal substation of the National Electric System.”

In a statement made by telephone to the public television network Venezolana de Televisión, Reverol indicated that this “detachment” produced “the de-energization of the Cota Mil, Santa Rosa, Chacao and Magallanes substations,” which affected 30% of the electrical energy in the Capital region. He said workers reacted immediately and by 12:15 p.m., almost 90% of the load had been restored.

“The detachment of these two 69 KV lines was confirmed, which produced an outbreak of fire in the Waraira Repano,” said the minister, who did not rule out “that this is one more attack within what is known as the electrical war.”

Venezuela has suffered from electrical blackouts in recent years, mostly after the United States government enforced illegal and severe “sanctions” affecting the entire economy and population. In recent months the occurrence of such incidents has been reduced, but today’s incident triggered an unusual wildfire in the Waraira Repano national park, making many residents believe that the possibility of sabotage could not be ruled out.

The minister specified that a team of experts from the General Directorate of Claims and the General Directorate of Security of the National Electric Corporation (Corpoelec) is investigating the causes of the incident. He also indicated that they are going to repair the fallen power lines, whose detachment might have caused the fire in the Waraira Repano National Park, which is being fought by forest firefighters.

Electricity was restored in La Guaira, according to Reverol, but sectors such as La Lagunita, Palo Verde, Hoyo de las Tapias, and Caicaguana are still without power, with service expecting to be restored in the next few hours. “The electrical system is stabilized throughout the country, but 10% to 15% remains pending while the conductors are replenished,” said the minister.

At approximately 10:50 a.m. an electrical failure occurred in many sectors of Caracas, and in some sectors of Venezuela’s interior. About 40 minutes later, electrical service began to resume.

Shortly after, Reverol travelled to the Galindo sector of the Waraira Repano National Park alongside the Minister of Ecosocialism, Josué Lorca, and the chief engineer of transmission lines of the Capital District. The downed lines at this location were shown in video footage published on the minister’s social networks at 3:15 p.m.

In one video clip, Reverol pointed out that they are working on repairing the power lines to restore electricity to 100% of the city. “There are four sectors of Caracas with 80 megawatts,” he said, reiterating that sabotage could not be ruled out. He also indicated that helicopters are being used to “extinguish the fire” still burning in the upper part of the Waraira Repano mountains.

Featured image: Unusual fire caused by the electrical incident in Caracas at the Waraira Repano Park. Photo courtesy of Twitter/@Naldoxx.

(Alba Ciudad)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/SL