The Daily Journal.— General Electric (GE) Vernova plans to create more than 1,000 local jobs as part of a strategic partnership signed Wednesday to restore and stabilize electrical infrastructure supporting Venezuela’s oil industry, a senior executive from the U.S. company announced during a ceremony at Miraflores Palace.
GE Vernova Venezuela President Carlos Mousadi and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) Executive Vice President Jovanny Martínez signed the agreement in the presence of interim President Delcy Rodríguez and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
During the ceremony, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer Roger Martella said restoring the power grid will require a major mobilization of Venezuelan workers and extensive training programs.
“From day one, let’s move from this agreement to the hard work: we need more than a thousand people to work on restoring this power grid,” Martella said.
The executive said the company expects local workers to fill all of those positions.
“Venezuela will provide the workforce through worker training,” he said. “All of these jobs will be local.”
Restoring electrical infrastructure
Martella explained that the agreement includes two main components: stabilizing and restoring the power grid and training the workforce necessary to carry out the work.
“With the agreements we have signed, we will continue moving forward to stabilize and restore the power grid,” he said.
GE Vernova will work alongside PDVSA and the National Electric Corporation (Corpoelec) on a project that aims to strengthen the availability and reliability of electricity for economic and productive activities.
“We are extremely grateful to PDVSA and Corpoelec for this partnership and for helping us make this progress,” the executive said.
Martella emphasized that the company aims to accelerate infrastructure restoration by bringing Venezuelan workers into the project from its earliest stages.
“GE Vernova from the United States will not be the one operating the grid,” he said, underscoring the central role that local workers will play.
A new investment initiative
The parties signed the agreement during a day of announcements and deals between Venezuelan authorities and U.S. companies as Caracas seeks to attract investment and technology to restore critical infrastructure and expand the country’s productive capacity.
Martella said the company views electricity as a key component for boosting economic activity and improving conditions for investment.
“What we want to do is generate electricity in communities so that everyone can prosper,” he said.
Martella added that GE Vernova will continue exploring new opportunities to expand its operations in Venezuela. “We can’t wait to get to work on the ground,” the executive said as he anticipated the start of efforts to restore the country’s electrical infrastructure.
