Venezuela Power Deficit Put at 3,000 Megawatts as Night Protests Spread
VENEZUELA · ENERGY
Key Facts
- —The country Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves but cannot keep its own lights on. Acting president Delcy Rodríguez has governed since US forces captured Nicolás Maduro in January 2026.
- —The background The national grid has decayed for more than a decade. Households in many states now live with daily rationing, and cuts of 10 to 16 hours have been reported in some areas.
- —Why now A turbine failure at the Guri dam on 29 August and a breakdown at a Zulia plant on 23 September deepened the shortfall as heat raised demand. Night protests have spread since.
- —What happened On 2 October El Nacional published an estimate by engineers Víctor Poleo and José Aguilar: demand of about 15,000 megawatts against roughly 12,000 available, a gap of 3,000.
- —The numbers That shortfall is about a fifth of national demand. Other estimates range from more than 1,500 to 3,900 megawatts; the government publishes no grid data.
- —What it means for you Expect evening road blockades in interior states, including on the motorway linking Caracas with Maracay and Valencia. Zulia, Mérida and Táchira are among the states hit hardest.
- —Still open Whether the 1,300 megawatts the government promises for October to December arrive on time, and when rationing ends.
The Venezuela power deficit is about 3,000 megawatts, roughly a fifth of national demand, two engineers told El Nacional on 2 October. The gap is covered by rationing, which leaves households in several states without power for 8 to 12 hours a day.
Night protests against the cuts continued on Thursday 1 October in Aragua, Cojedes and Táchira states. On Wednesday residents blocked the country’s main central motorway in two places.
How big the gap is
Poleo and Aguilar estimate national demand at about 15,000 megawatts. Available generation, from the hydroelectric dams on the Caroní river and the thermal plants still running, is around 12,000.
The 3,000-megawatt difference is shed through scheduled cuts. That exceeds the entire demand of Zulia state, home to Maracaibo, which the business federation Fedecámaras puts at about 2,700 megawatts.
The figures are estimates, because official technical data have not been published since November 2010, El Nacional notes. Engineer Roberto Vernet put the deficit at 3,900 megawatts on 18 September.
A separate El Nacional report on 1 October cited a deficit of more than 1,500 megawatts. It also cited Reuters as saying only about 40 percent of the 32,800 megawatts of installed capacity works.
Where the cuts hurt most
The engineers name eight states where most of the shortfall is shed: Zulia, Mérida, Táchira, Trujillo, Monagas, Anzoátegui, Sucre and Nueva Esparta. El Nacional reports daily cuts of 8, 10 or more than 12 hours in several regions.
They also point to the oil industry, which they estimate draws 1,200 to 1,700 megawatts without interruption. Because pumping and refining cannot stop, the shortfall falls on homes.
At the Guri dam, the country’s largest power station, seven turbines are out of service, the engineers say. Unit 17, rated at 770 megawatts, has been down since 29 August, El Nacional reported in September.
Protests move from state to state
On Wednesday night residents of at least six municipalities in Aragua state protested, El Nacional reported. In San Mateo they blocked the main Caracas–Valencia motorway, and National Guard troops came to try to clear it.
In Carabobo state, at least eight protests broke out at once in Guacara and San Joaquín, El Nacional reported. In San Joaquín, protesters blocked the same motorway.
Protesters in Guacara set fire to a billboard of Governor Rafael Lacava, La Patilla reported. Residents said cuts went beyond the announced scheme of six hours a day in two three-hour blocks.
In Cojedes state, protesters closed roads in San Carlos, Tinaco, Lagunitas and Las Vegas, El Nacional reported.
On Thursday night hundreds of people marched with banners and pots to the town hall in San Mateo, La Patilla reported. One sign read: “Children deserve to sleep and live in peace.”
Residents also blocked roads in Tinaco and gathered in San Rafael del Piñal, in Táchira state, to demand answers from Corpoelec. Earlier in the week, protests had reached Mérida, Anzoátegui and Guárico states on 29 September.
How the authorities respond
In San Mateo a National Guard officer blamed “poor load management” and global warming, El Nacional reported. “It is global warming,” he insisted as protesters reacted angrily.
In La Cañada de Urdaneta, near Maracaibo, the National Guard fired tear gas at a protest where children were present. That is the account of a local journalist, whose video La Patilla published.
Electricity Minister Rolando Alcalá blames high demand, heat from El Niño and June’s earthquakes. The opposition and independent experts blame corruption and years of missed maintenance.
What comes next
On Thursday officials began turning a repaired turbine, TZ07, at the Termozulia plant in Zulia. Cabinet member Juan José Ramírez said it should join the grid within 72 hours.
Regional authorities expect Zulia’s deficit to fall from about 600 megawatts to about 150 in October, Fedecámaras said. Nationally, Alcalá promises 1,300 megawatts by December, including 600 at Planta Centro.
A memorandum signed in June with GE Vernova, the US power-equipment maker, aims to add 1,000 megawatts in two years. El Nacional notes concern that a revived oil industry could raise demand at the same time.
The protests so far are local, neighbourhood actions, mostly at night. The new units do not mean rationing ends soon: 1,300 megawatts would close less than half of the estimated gap.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long are power cuts in Venezuela now?
Cuts vary by region. El Nacional reports daily cuts of 8 to more than 12 hours in several regions, with Zulia, Mérida, Táchira and five other states hit hardest. Residents in some areas report up to 16 hours.
Why does Venezuela have power shortages if it has so much oil?
Much of its electricity comes from hydroelectric dams on the Caroní river and from ageing thermal plants, not directly from oil. Years of missed maintenance and corruption have left many turbines out of service, and the oil industry itself draws a large share of power.
Is it safe to travel in Venezuela during the protests?
The protests have mostly been local and at night, with pot-banging and road blockades. Travellers should expect evening delays on main roads in interior states and follow local news.
When will the blackouts end?
No end date has been announced. The government promises 1,300 megawatts of new capacity by December 2026, which would cover less than half of the estimated 3,000-megawatt gap.
Sources: El Nacional, analysis by Víctor Poleo and José Aguilar, 2 October 2026, El Nacional, protests in Aragua, Cojedes and Carabobo, 1 October 2026, El Nacional, National Guard in San Mateo, 1 October 2026, El Nacional, Zulia demand and Termozulia (Fedecámaras), 30 September 2026, El Nacional, Roberto Vernet estimate, 18 September 2026, La Patilla, night protests of 1 October, 1 October 2026, La Patilla, Carabobo protests, 1 October 2026, La Patilla, tear gas in Zulia, 1 October 2026, La Patilla, Termozulia turbine, 1 October 2026. All retrieved 2 October 2026.
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