Electricity to flow soon from Venezuela to Brazil
Copyright 2001 Reuters
August 6, 2001
CARACAS, Venezuela, - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on the weekend that together with his Brazilian counterpart, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, he would inaugurate a high-voltage power line on Aug. 13 to supply electricity to energy-starved northern Brazil.
Chavez, speaking on his weekly radio show, "Hello, President," said there would be two ceremonies to put the long-delayed link into operation, one in the Venezuelan town of Santa Elena de Uairen and the other in the Brazilian city of Boa Vista.
The high-voltage cable, which is two years overdue, will supply cheap Venezuelan hydroelectric power to Brazil. The region's largest economy, Brazil is in the midst of a severe energy crisis.
"At last we have finished this job, which had been delayed by several problems, and we are going to sell electricity to northern Brazil," Chavez said. "This means integration between Caracas and Brasilia."
Work on the 470-mile (750-km) electric line was halted last year by Venezuelan Pemon Indians, who knocked down several pylons to object to what they said was damage to their tribal territory.
The line runs through Canaima National Park, Venezuela's top tourist destination and the site of Angel Falls, the world's tallest waterfall at more than 3,200 feet (975 metres).
Environmentalists say the project has hurt a fragile ecosystem and disturbed Indian communities. The Venezuelan government has said it will bring electricity to remote villages and help mining companies operate in the area.