Venezuela to tax high power use
CARACAS, VENEZUELA - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he would direct his administration to assess a tax for high consumption of electricity and set subsidies for low usage.
"Those who use energy above a ceiling will have to pay a surcharge. They must pay more. Those who spend less energy, under a minimum limit, will be subsidized and will pay lower rates." El Universal quoted Chavez saying.
"There is a world energy crisis, for God's sake, we must understand it! Some people turn on their air conditioners and let them on all night. It's like wasting water day and night," he said.
Chavez said a lack of rainfall to replenish the headwaters of the Caroni River had become "a serious situation that has affected the supply of electricity."
The hydroelectric power station Guri, Venezuela, produces 70 percent of the country's electricity.
"What I mean is that we must all be concerned... everyone has to help save energy," he said.
Related News
Alberta shift from coal to cleaner energy
EDMONTON - The turn of the calendar to 2018 saw TransAlta retire one of its coal power generating units at its Sundance plant west of Edmonton and mothball another as it begins the transition to cleaner sources of energy.
The company will say goodbye to three more units over the next year and a half to prepare them for conversion to natural gas.
This is part of a fundamental shift in Alberta, which will see coal power completely eliminated by 2030, replaced by a mix of natural gas and renewable sources.
“We’re going to see that transition continue right up…
