Desperate Times in Venezuela as Chronic Power Cuts Spark Public Fury and Strain Healthcare

The hum of the kidney dialysis machine that Onasis Munoz is connected to suddenly stops. The fluorescent lights overhead flicker out, and his room at a clinic in Valencia, Venezuela, is plunged into darkness. It is not the first time a power cut has interrupted one of the three weekly sessions Munoz needs to do the work his failing kidneys can no longer do, filtering waste and excess fluid from his blood.

For years, electricity would go out every couple of days across parts of Venezuela's Carabobo state. But in recent months, Munoz said, the outages have grown to be daily, lasting around seven hours. The clinic's emergency batteries have since been depleted, and its backup generator no longer works. He explained that the frequent power failures have disrupted his treatment, causing his health to slump as a result.

"I arrive home, exhausted, as if I had run a marathon," the 34-year-old said. Often, there is no electricity there either, and recent weeks have been sweltering. "I cannot switch on the air conditioning. I cannot rest because of the heat and the mosquitoes. There's no relief," Munoz added.

Across Venezuela, prolonged outages are riling locals as the electricity supply to homes, businesses, and essential services becomes unstable. Some cuts are deliberate as the government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez rations electricity. The resulting frustration has spilled onto the streets, where demonstrators hold "cacerolazos"—a traditional protest involving banging pots and pans—while others block roadways and set tyres on fire.

The energy crisis has also raised concerns about the management of the nation's vast oil supply. "We are desperate. We cannot understand how a country so rich in resources can be practically left in the dark," said Patricia Cueva, a lawyer from Maracaibo, the capital of oil-rich Zulia state.

A recent study by ANOVA Policy Research found that 62.8 percent of Venezuelan households experienced daily electricity cuts in 2026, compared with 37.1 percent in 2024, with only 6.9 percent reporting a continuous supply.

While previous administrations blamed foreign sanctions, the Rodriguez administration has cited El Niño. With about 90 percent of Venezuela's electricity generated by hydropower, the system is highly vulnerable to extreme heat and drought. However, energy specialist Nelson Hernandez argues that the crisis stems from systematic infrastructure neglect, management failures, and ageing technology.

Following US military actions and the removal of Nicolas Maduro, relations between Washington and Caracas shifted. Under pressure from US President Donald Trump, Rodriguez implemented reforms to allow greater foreign investment in the oil sector, while Trump eased export restrictions. OPEC data shows Venezuelan oil production rose by nearly 30 percent this year, reaching 1.201 million barrels per day in August.

Hernandez notes that this increased production places heavy demands on the grid. Because oil fields cannot be rationed without hurting production, power cuts fall disproportionately on residential and commercial sectors. The oil industry requires around 1,600 megawatts or more for its operations.

The Rodriguez government states it is working to stabilize the system by adding 1,300 megawatts in the final quarter of the year and enacting legal measures for energy companies to invest in their own infrastructure. Meanwhile, families and businesses continue to struggle, with many residents reporting that the crisis is deeply affecting their mental health and daily lives.