CARACAS, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela has received new equipment and spare parts to help restore its battered national power grid, the Venezuelan News Agency (AVN) reported Monday, citing the Ministry of Communication and Information.
The newly arrived equipment and parts are intended for the country's thermal power plants, according to official information.
"These actions are carried out through partnerships between the national government, the private sector, and Venezuelan engineers," AVN reported.
The government aims to rebuild the power sector in the medium term, AVN said, adding that the grid was affected by U.S. unilateral coercive measures that prevented access to original spare parts.
Two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 that struck northern Venezuela on June 24 also damaged the grid, knocking out 800 megawatts of generating capacity and worsening power rationing across much of the country.
On Saturday, Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said that 600 of the 800 megawatts lost in the quakes had been recovered. However, blackouts continue to be reported across the country. ■
