CARACAS: Venezuelan government workers are getting a few extra hours off each day as officials try to save on electricity.
Starting immediately, government offices will stay open only six hours a day, closing early at 1 p.m., Electric Energy Minister Jesse Chacon said Tuesday.
Chacon said the country saw a sudden jump in power usage over the last week because high temperatures led to greater use of air conditioning. Many key sectors are exempt from the cutback, including schools, clinics, the oil industry and security forces, he said Tuesday.
Officials said they’ll also increase inspections of hotels and shopping centers to ensure their compliance with mandatory reductions.
It’s unclear how long the emergency measures would last.
A lack of infrastructure investment and surging demand driven by some of the world’s lowest tariffs has been battering Venezuela’s electricity sector for years.
The socialist country suffered major blackouts in 2012 and 2013. The administration blamed the power outages on sabotage, while opponents said they were the result of government incompetence.
