Power Woes: Cardon Refinery Restarts Amid Frequent Blackouts

Venezuela's Cardon refinery, the country's second-largest with a capacity of 310,000 barrels per day, has begun restarting its operational units, including crude distillation plants, after a power blackout on Tuesday affected its operations. Power interruptions are a common issue in Venezuela, impacting state-run PDVSA facilities.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 15-04-2026 21:26 IST | Created: 15-04-2026 21:26 IST
Power Woes: Cardon Refinery Restarts Amid Frequent Blackouts

Venezuela's Cardon refinery, which ranks as the nation's second-largest with a significant output of 310,000 barrels per day, commenced the restart of its operational units on Wednesday. This follows a power blackout that crippled operations on Tuesday, sources within the refinery reported.

Frequent power interruptions are an issue plaguing Venezuela, disrupting various sectors, notably affecting the efficiency of state-owned enterprises. The Cardon refinery is not isolated in facing such challenges. Power reliability is a persistent problem impacting PDVSA, Venezuela's state-run oil company.

Despite the blackout's operational impact, PDVSA has remained tight-lipped, as no immediate response was given upon request for comment. The situation underscores broader systemic issues within Venezuela's energy infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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