Major blackout affects the western region of Venezuela: Zulia and Andean states in darkness
A major electrical failure impacted various states in western Venezuela on the night of Saturday, August 29. The interruption of the power supply left a large part of the states of Zulia, Mérida, Táchira, Trujillo, and Barinas in the dark, intensifying the energy crisis the country is going through.
The incident began to be recorded around 8:38 p.m., at which time voltage fluctuations were reported prior to the total blackout. In cities such as Maracaibo and the San Francisco municipality, citizens confirmed a prolonged suspension of service, a situation that also extended to areas of Lara and Yaracuy.
Energy deficit and lack of official information
Although no official technical report has been issued by the competent authorities, it is estimated that the national electrical system is facing a considerable deficit. Internal data suggest that current demand exceeds 15,700 megawatts, while available generation capacity remains below 13,000 MW, which translates to a gap of approximately 2,700 MW.
So far, neither the Ministry of Electric Energy nor the National Electric Corporation (Corpoelec) has released a detailed report on the root cause of this blackout, leaving the population without an official version regarding the true magnitude of the failure.
Alofoke DeportesGradual restoration of service
The power supply recovery process began gradually starting at 9:00 p.m. The first areas to report reconnections were parts of Trujillo state, followed by sectors of Maracaibo, Mérida, and Táchira near 10:00 p.m. However, the normalization of service was not uniform, with reports of power outages extending until the early hours of the morning in various communities.
- Affected areas: Zulia, Mérida, Táchira, Trujillo, and Barinas.
- Context: The crisis adds to the daily rationing that was already reaching up to six hours in several regions.
- Actions: Regional authorities reported on technical maneuvers to stabilize the system, estimating prolonged periods to achieve full normalization.
For now, any speculation regarding sabotage or specific damage to the infrastructure remains in the realm of the preliminary, pending an official statement that clarifies the technical causes behind this new energy collapse in the western region of Venezuela.
