Nationwide Blackout in Venezuela: FAQ

[MRubio]

How did this blackout begin? What started the event?

There is no official information. The regime only says this is an act of sabotage, and that US Senator Marco Rubio and the Venezuelan opposition are to blame for it.

From people inside the electric industry, we know that an overheat alarm was triggered between the San Geronimo B and Malena substations, which are like nodes. San Geronimo B is just South of Valle de La Pascua (Guarico state, central plains); Malena is a bit in the middle of nowhere, between Bolivar’s Trocal 19 and the Orinoco River. From San Geronimo B substation, comes the electric load to power all the TVs, light bulbs, blenders, etc. At Malena substation end the cables that come directly from the turning water wheels of the Guri dam. If you follow the lines from Guri, the country’s main dam South of Ciudad Guayana, they go North from Guri to Malena and San Geronimo, and from there it splits into several lines going to the central region and then to the rest of the country (East and West).

This particular corridor carries three 765 kV (kilovolts) power lines, which are the largest and most important lines of the country. One of these lines, apparently the one between San Geronimo B and Malena, went out and overloaded the other two, so all three died. When all of a sudden the lines went off and power wasn’t getting through, not only all those TVs, blenders and lights went off: the water wheels started to spin out of control (in the industry we call this scenario a “load rejection”). Protections systems kicked in and the turbines shut themselves off, hopefully with no damage.

https://www.caracaschronicles.com/2019/03/10/nationwide-blackout-in-venezuela-faq/

[MRubio]

1. Why Venezuela Remains with No Power: FAQ

It’s Monday and power hasn’t been restored since the start of the blackout on Thursday, except intermittently and in a few places. Why is this happening?

We can’t know when the current capacity of the national grid will be restored because we don’t know whether the Guri turbines suffered damage, and if so, what kind of damage it was. It is likely that Corpoelec technicians are rerouting power through parts of the system that don’t have enough capacity, eventually overloading them, so the protection equipment triggers a shutdown.

If there’s damage at the Guri turbines, what kind of damage could it be, how can it be repaired, and how long would it take to repair?
There is accrued damage.

Only Guri II was overhauled in 2012 but the rest of the plant is severely outdated. To get it to top shape, it would take at least a year after a purchase order is signed. The type of damage they suffered is most likely related to a phenomenon called cavitation, which erodes the turbines. It is also possible that given the frequency of the grid rejection failures that the turbines have seen, there is also major damage on the blades, the penstock (pipe in) or the draft tube (pipe out) due to pressure surges. In general, this equipment is very robust and is designed to deal with grid rejections, but perhaps not this frequently.

Read more:

https://www.caracaschronicles.com/2019/03/11/why-venezuela-remains-with-no-power-faq/

[GatoGordo]

2. I spoke with a friend who works for the local power co-op

All of the power companies in the US are watching with fascination the goings on in Venezuela. The question is, "Could this happen here?"

Apparently there are some weak spots on the coasts, with older infrastructure, but by in large all of these issues are superficial. They have been studying Puerto Rico since the hurricane, and apparently THAT problem is similar to what Venezuela is experiencing. One central power station and an aging grid with funds for upgrades and maintenance being siphoned off.

But apparently, none of the controls for the grid/power stations can be controlled remotely. You can't "hack" the system to make the entire grid collapse. There are things that can damage the grid (EMP) but those things can't be hidden. (every bit of solid state electronics would be fried)

Clearly, Maduro and the Merry Morons of Miraflores are lying. AGAIN.

[MRubio]

3. Lying again?

No shocker there.

If there are millions of potholes the size of volkswagens on the national highways, and millions of citizens living in the cities without running water, why would it shock anyone that that the country's electrical grid is old and failing with most of the funds earmarked for maintenance having been siphoned off by corrupt officials instead?

We were pretty-well prepared for this last coje culo. Better believe we'll be even better prepared for the next. And there will be a next.

[GatoGordo]

4. The key is keeping all of your preparedness sub-rosa

When we last left Maracay in 2015 we stockpiled the in-laws house with all of this (minus the rainwater storage). It could get a person through a lot of rough spots. We literally had the house looking like a preppers storage locker!

10 kg bags of rice, beans (multiple)
plastic tubs, ziplock bags for food storage
water filtration systems, filters
rainwater storage tanks
surge protectors
solar chargers, portable wind turbine
rechargeable batteries, 12v automotive batteries
as many water jugs as can be stored
as many spare bombas as can be collected, filled

You can't know how important water is. Its importance is paramount.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Yes, the importance of water! That's why greedy conservatives are moving to control it all.

Trying to make sure they can privatize the water then shoot up the costs has gotten them in trouble all over the world, but they keep trying.

Don't think the human race is going to take too much more of this filth from the slimy parasites.

[GatoGordo]

6. Greedy conservatives? In Venezuela? WHO?

Name ONE mainstream conservative in Venezuela! What mainstream right-wing party!

Start naming names, Judi. I think people ought to know who the enemy in Venezuela is!