So it seems the problems here are mostly to due with underinvestment and unnecessarily decentralized corporate structure.

It is possible to keep electricity rates low without under investing, Hydro Quebec being a good example of this practice. The low rates help keep smelters in and keep the population less frustrated. All the while the company pays 2 billion dollars in dividends to the government and even over-invests to keep jobs. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydro-Qu%C3%A9bec)

To rectify the problem in Venezuela, I might suggest first restructuring the nationalized electricity producers and distributors, as well as improving regulatory measures and corporate governance, borrowing perhaps from this: http://videolectures.net/socius_kallevig_ogsoecn/

Thus it is of my opinion that there is little need for privatization, particularly given electricity distribution’s tendency to natural monopoly, as well as electricity production’s high barriers to entry. Add to that the fact that a nationalized electricity producer can be a powerful tool for economic policy.

Cheers.

A comment from someone who writes soil mineral prescriptions for a living:

Peter, I do recommend sea salt in some soil fertility Rx’s, but only if the soil needs sodium. Sea salt also has many essential trace minerals, and NaCl is a strong electrolyte, so it will enhance soil conductivity, which is good IF the soil needs more conductivity. And if the soil is sodium deficient.

However:

Much of Venezuela’s agricultural land is already oversaturated with salt, enough that it seriously limits crop production.

Maximum desirable salt application for most soils is around 400 kilos/hectare, or 40 grams per square meter, well mixed into the top 15cm of soil. Not enough to reflect much sunlight, or attract much water.

May I suggest that you do a little more research and experimentation before making such wide-ranging recommendations?

This will fix all of your water problems. By putting unrefined sea salt from the ocean on the ground, you will never have a shortage of water again and your plants will grow better. Nothing will ever dry out again

Unrefined sea salts from the Atlantic ocean, dried in the sun put upon the ground will reflect the sunlight back to the sun and will put chloride in your ground that’s phenomenal for any plants in our planet. It kills all diseases.

When the salt conducts the sun during the day, it puts energy inside the salt. When you put water on top of it, or mix it with water, it creates energy. Then during the night time, the moon will pull the salt back to the surface with the water.

Every morning you will have fresh water, and fresh unrefined sea salts. Your plants will grow better than they ever have, you will never need fertilizer again.

You will not have problems with freezes any more.

When the salt is conducting energy from the sun, the sodium in the salt will convert from a +1 to a -1 during the day and at night, it will return to a +1 so the moon will conduct it.

Please give this to anyone who can use it. I do this for my family, the world.

Peter Gokey
208-699-5164
Pgokey1@gmail.com

How about eliminating the spider web of illegal electrical thieves, and making them pay, even if it’s Bs.F 10 / month?

How about fixing the constant mains breaks in the water distribution system? Some go unrepaired for months at a time

And yes, it is amazing that more people have not mentioned the time change. I told someone that and they even argues that it made no difference.

There are some simple meaures which could help the water / electricty rationing:

1 As suggested by a professor from USB (Aller ?) go back tp previous local hour (-4:00 gmt) intead of current (-4:30 GMT), many places in Venezuela ar already darl arounf 5:45 pm so people start switching lights, etc. earlier.

2 – In Caracas suggest (or eventually enforce) owners of buildings to shut down water pumping systems from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am. You would not believe how many buildings use inefficient water pump + bypass systems were the water pump is essentially on for 24 hours and excess water flow isrecirculated to water tank …

Like this ther may be simple measures that could help pospone for some time eventual collapse of water / electricity ….

Electricity was always a problem outside Caracas. In fact, if you saw a Cadafe sign, you were well advised not to move there.

What is truly criminal, is that Hugo y su combo have done jack-diddly-squat about these problems. No outgoing administration to blame, no lack of resources, just plain “Chapuceria de primer nivel”

The electricity problems, those didn’t existed.