Venezuela Hit By Masssive Power Blackouts

Venezuela Restores Power To Most Of Nation Stuck By Blackout -- Bloomberg

Power was restored to most of Venezuela last night, hours after a blackout left more than half the country without electricity and interrupted a nationwide television broadcast by President Nicolas Maduro.

Electricity was back on in 99 percent of Caracas, Maduro said on state television at about 7 p.m. yesterday by which time power had been restored to most of the country, according to Electricity Minister Jesse Chacon. A windstorm knocked down eight electrical towers on two separate transmission lines, which should be back online by next week, he said.

“We’re going to fully investigate these strange circumstances to determine the cause of the failure,” Maduro said. “It didn’t happen because of excessive demand and didn’t take place at a peak hour. There was an intense windstorm in the east, like a hurricane.”

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Update #1: Widespread blackouts hit Venezuela -- The Guardian
Update #2: Venezuela blackout leaves commuters scrambling, silences president -- Reuters

My Comment: If I was living in Venezuela I would be getting into the business of selling generators .... until (of course) the government shuts me down.