Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro declared that for the next two months, all Fridays will be non-working “holidays” in hopes to save energy throughout the country.
In addition to a widespread economic crisis, a severe drought has hit Venezuela. A major problem for the oil rich Latin American nation that depends on hydropower for 60 percent of its electricity.
Many countries are switching to hydropower and investing in non-fossil fuel alternative energy sources. These renewable energy sources are playing a big role in combatting climate change but these sources can have problems. Sound planning and investment are needed to effectively utilize clean energy, and make sure there are contingency plans for interruptions to power generation like the drought in Venezuela. .
Our energy resources are valuable and vulnerable and we need to learn to understand them so we can keep using them.
Venezuela decrees Fridays a holiday to ease energy crisis: https://t.co/s2qhqZbUg8pic.twitter.com/IO0Z94Eofx
— Reuters Business (@ReutersBiz) April 7, 2016
To manage the alarmingly low level of available hydropower, Venezuelan President Maduro thinks that if people stop using large amounts of energy at work one day a week, they can fight this energy crisis as a unified nation.
The announcement came after President Maduro shut down the country for a week over last month’s Easter holiday. This gave workers three additional days off, shortened daily work hours, and asked some shopping malls to generate their own power.
#Venezuela president gives workers weeklong vacation to save energy as drought hits hydroelectric dam https://t.co/5wBVT9kWsd
— Christina Hoag (@ChristinaHoag) March 16, 2016
Maduro said those previous efforts saved almost 22 centimeters of water at Guri Dam, which supplies a large portion of the electricity to the nation’s capital, Caracas.
Venezuelans are getting Fridays off to battle an #energy crisis https://t.co/EaHxfhKgSR#Venezuela#Hydroelectricpic.twitter.com/M8clWcT0Hn
— Lacy Cooke (@lacygcooke) April 7, 2016
While the efforts helped the situation, the water level is still very low at around 243 meters above sea level. If water levels at the dam fall below 240 meters, the government may have to shut down the plant to avoid damaging turbines. This move would inevitably lead to increased rationing and take a toll on Venezuela’s people.
“I call on families, on the youth, to join this plan with discipline, with conscience and extreme collaboration to confront this extreme situation,” President Mauro said, referring to the drought.
Critics believe this alarming energy situation is at least in part due to a lack of investment and maintenance in energy infrastructure. Many wonder how the measure will impact schools, bureaucratic procedures, supermarkets, and the private and public business sector. Many others are concerned that this day off will not be effective if people are going to go home and use electronics or simply turn on the air conditioning.
Maduro's no-work Friday decision is meant to last 60days #venezuela#PowerCrisis he doesnt seem to know people also burn electricity at home
— Margot (@margotch) April 7, 2016
President Maduro said this is part of his 60 day plan to fight the power crisis and will reveal the rest of the plan soon.
In the meantime, he urged Venezuelans to make small changes to their routines. This includes turning off the air conditioners in the tropical heat, using clotheslines rather than driers and reducing electrical beauty products.
Due to government subsidies from national oil exports, electricity is essentially free in Venezuela. This has left individuals relatively care free about their energy uses. Hopefully the 3-day weekends will spark behavior change and allow the country as a whole to weather this energy crisis.