Residents in Táchira accuse authorities of diverting locally generated electricity to Caracas, leaving western communities with long, frequent blackouts. Local politicians and residents say the Táchira thermal plant produces roughly 70 MW yet much of it is fed into the national grid. Protests and highway blockades have erupted as the outages damage cold supply chains, appliances and local businesses. Government reforms and international deals, including contracts with GE Vernova to restore about 5,000 MW, aim to rebuild capacity but face major logistical and political challenges.
Táchira Residents Say Caracas Is Receiving Local Power as Western Venezuela Endures Long Blackouts
Students walk in a dark hallway at a university in San Cristobal, a city in Venezuela's Tachira state that experiences frequent power cuts (JOHNNY PARRA)
Residents in western Venezuela's Táchira state accuse authorities of diverting locally generated electricity to the capital, Caracas, leaving their towns with prolonged outages and mounting economic damage.
Local Frustration and Accusations
Josner Herrera, a 38-year-old secretary, says she is exhausted from daily power cuts despite living in a region that produces significant electricity. "I'm really fed up and exhausted. And now I see that we could have power all the time, but it seems we have to feed the bubble (in the heart of Caracas) so the people in the neighborhoods don't rise up," she told AFP.
"That's enough, we're done paying the price for the capital. What injustice!" — Irma Villasmil, assistant bank manager in San Cristóbal
Supply, Demand and Local Generation
Former regional lawmaker Heriberto Labrador said a thermal plant in Táchira is producing roughly 70 megawatts — enough, he argues, to meet local demand — but that much of that generation is being fed into the national grid. Some towns in the state have experienced blackouts lasting up to 26 hours, while outages of five hours or more have become common.
Opposition lawmaker Ezio Angelini noted that Venezuela once produced around 20,000 megawatts daily while consuming roughly 12,000 before Hugo Chávez came to power in 1999. He said current average generation is near 12,000 megawatts daily while demand now exceeds 14,000, leaving a structural shortfall.
Economic and Social Consequences
Local officials and producers warn that extended cuts are crippling economic activity and damaging cold supply chains for farmers and livestock producers who transport perishable goods. Ordinary households also suffer: residents report damaged appliances after power surges and mounting frustration that has spilled into public protest.
Protests and Local Response
Frustrated residents recently blocked the highway linking Táchira to Barinas at night, banging pots and pans and honking horns. Demonstrations have also erupted in other cities, including Barinas, Valencia and Maracaibo.
The Táchira governor, Freddy Bernal, a ruling-party official who has held office for nearly five years, declined to comment when approached by local media.
Government Plans and International Deals
The government of interim leader Delcy Rodríguez has proposed reforms aimed at attracting foreign investment in oil and mining — sectors that need reliable power. Rodríguez has submitted electricity-sector reforms to lawmakers, which have not yet been approved. She has also reached a major oil deal that includes contracts with foreign companies such as GE Vernova to restore roughly 5,000 megawatts of capacity over four years.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, during a recent visit to Caracas, emphasized the need to rehabilitate Venezuela's electricity infrastructure. Meanwhile, the government has announced temporary measures such as shortened public-sector workdays intended to ease pressure on the grid, even as parts of Caracas begin to see outages as well.
Outlook
Officials say international investment and infrastructure rehabilitation are essential, but rebuilding generation and distribution capacity will be challenging and take time. In the short term, residents in Táchira and other regions say patience is wearing thin as outages continue to harm businesses, supply chains and household livelihoods.
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