The Daily Journal.— Venezuela plans to add 7,400 megawatts (MW) of electricity capacity to the National Electric System (SEN) in the medium term through agreements signed this year with U.S.-based General Electric (GE) and Argentina’s Impsa, acting President Delcy Rodríguez said Thursday.
Rodríguez announced Fedecámaras’ annual assembly, where she also said the government plans to reform legislation governing electricity services before the end of 2026 to allow private companies to participate in power generation, transmission and distribution.
“In the medium term, we will add 7,400 megawatts as a result of agreements signed with General Electric and Impsa,” Rodríguez said during the opening of the 82nd Annual Assembly of Fedecámaras in Caracas.
Rodríguez said Venezuela now has guarantees that will allow it to purchase spare parts required by the electricity system. The government maintains that international sanctions imposed since 2017 have restricted access to those components.
“Soon — and when I say soon, I mean in the coming days or weeks, but certainly before the end of this year — we will introduce a reform of the National Electric System Law governing electricity services that will allow private participation in generation, transmission and distribution,” she said.
Opening the sector to private investment would change the conditions for business participation in an industry that requires investment to restore operational capacity and improve the reliability of electricity supplies.
In June, the acting government and General Electric signed an energy agreement that will add 1,000 megawatts to the National Electric System within two years and more than 5,000 megawatts over the next four years, according to official information.
That same month, the Ministry of Electric Energy signed an agreement with IMPSA to reactivate and complete construction of the Tocoma Hydroelectric Power Plant and move forward with rehabilitation projects across the SEN. Authorities said the resumption of the civil and engineering works will add a total of 2,640 megawatts to the country’s power grid.
Restoring thermoelectric capacity
Rodríguez attributed part of the system’s recent instability to damage caused by two earthquakes recorded in June, which she said affected 800 MW of generation capacity and transmission infrastructure in the central and capital regions.
“The earthquake affected 800 megawatts in the central region and the Capital Region, at India Urquía, Planta Termo Carabobo, the transmission line from Planta Centro and the Yaracuy transmission line. That completely destabilized the system,” Rodríguez said.
The acting president said authorities have already restored 600 MW of the affected capacity and expect to complete recovery efforts before the end of the year.
She also highlighted cooperation with China to bring Unit 6 at Planta Centro back online. Rodríguez said the unit will provide 600 MW and help stabilize power supplies in Venezuela’s central and western regions.
Target of 1,300 MW before December
The acting government also plans to add 1,300 MW to the national thermoelectric system before December, Rodríguez said. She linked the increase in generation capacity to reduced load-management programs and improved conditions for industrial activity.
“We want to prevent interruptions to the electricity system, reduce the load-management program and ensure that industrial sectors that need electricity for production have a reliable supply,” she said.
Reliable electricity supplies play an important role in the recovery of Venezuelan industrial production, as power outages can increase operating costs, force companies to rely on their own generators and reduce effective production hours.
