Latest news with #infraestructura
Arab News
28-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Drilling for water in Venezuela's parched oil town
MARACAIBO: In Venezuela's oil capital of Maracaibo, a drilling frenzy has led to dozens of new wells — but the valuable liquid being pumped out is just water, not petroleum. In a symbol of the woes of Venezuela's crumbling economy, the once flourishing oil town of 2 million people is parched. Experts blame the nationwide shortage of drinking water on corruption and years of underinvestment and mismanagement by national and local governments, resulting in frequent water cuts. The corroding infrastructure has led to schools, homes, businesses, churches and health centers all digging their own wells — at a huge expense. A private well costs between $1,000 and $6,000, a fortune in the sanctions-hit Caribbean country where the minimum monthly wage is around $200. As a result, homes that come with a ready-made well and generator — Venezuelans also live with recurring power cuts — sell for a premium. While water rationing has been in place in Venezuelan cities for years, the situation in Maracaibo has become critical, as pumping stations break down, old pipes leak and reservoirs run dry. No water came out of the taps in certain parts of the city for over a month at the start of 2025. Manuel Palmar and six other families in the lower-middle-class neighborhood of Ziruma saw the writing on the wall four years ago. They each paid $2,500 to build a 12-meter-deep (40-foot) well, which can store up to about 80,000 liters (21,000 gallons) of spring water each week. Now when Palmar turns on the tap, water gushes out for free. The water is not fit for drinking due to its high salinity — saltwater from the Caribbean Sea seeps into Lake Maracaibo, a coastal lake used as a freshwater source — but 'it's perfect for washing clothes and flushing toilets,' he explained. 'It's a blessing!' the 34-year-old accountant said. There's a solution of sorts for every budget. Some residents fill 200-liter drums at official filling stations or communal taps for $2-$3. Others order a water truck to fill their building's tank for between $40 and $60. Some even recycle the water produced by the tropical city's ubiquitous air conditioners or collect rainwater. But those are all quick fixes. Over the past six years, more and more residents have begun digging wells to guarantee their long-term supply for the future. Gabriel Delgado has built about 20 wells in Maracaibo, including at a heart disease clinic and four private schools. He also built one at his mother-in-law's home: a gray cement cylinder, one and a half meters in diameter, buried under metal sheeting and rocks. Cobwebs dangle just above the water level, but as soon as he activates the pump, water pours forth. It's crystal clear, unlike the yellowish liquid that flows from the city's taps during the rainy season, and Delgado eagerly sips it. Venezuelans must receive authorization from health and environmental authorities before drilling a well, and they are required to provide water samples for testing to ensure it is fit for consumption once it's built. But not everyone bothers. Javier Otero, head of Maracaibo's municipal water department, told AFP that he had come across shallow artisanal wells built near sewers or polluted ravines. 'Some people drink water that is not potable, that is brackish,' he told AFP. The municipality has built seven wells to supply Maracaibo's poorer neighborhoods.
The Independent
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Spain reveals cause of massive blackout that cancelled flights and left 80,000 stranded
A report released by authorities in Madrid has revealed that a massive power outage in Spain and Portugal in April was the result of technical and planning errors. The outage, which left tens of millions without power, was triggered by a chain reaction of small grid failures concentrated in southern Spain, according to Spain's Ecological Transition Minister Sara Aagesen. Speaking at a press conference, Ms Aagesen ruled out the possibility of a cyberattack. She cited "the poor planning" by grid operators as a contributing factor, as they failed to find a replacement for a power plant intended to balance power fluctuations. The blackout on 28 April began shortly after 12.30pm and lasted through the evening, disrupting businesses, transit systems, cellular networks, internet connectivity, and other critical infrastructure. Within five seconds, Spain lost 15gigawatts of electricity, approximately 60 per cent of its supply. Portugal, connected to Spain's grid, also experienced a blackout, while island territories were unaffected. About 500 flights were cancelled, affecting 80,000 passengers, and many travellers slept in train stations as they were unable to get home. Power was fully restored by the early hours of the following day. The government report included analysts from Spain's national security agencies, which concluded, according to the minister, there were no indications of cyber-sabotage by foreign actors. The only solid information made public shortly after the system went down came from Spain's grid operator Red Eléctrica, which had narrowed down the source of the outage to two separate incidents in southern Spain where substations had failed. In the weeks following the blackout, citizens and experts were left wondering what triggered the event in a region not known for power outages and igniting a fierce debate about whether Spain's high levels of renewable power had something to do with the grid failing. Spain is at the forefront of Europe 's transition to renewable energy, having generated nearly 57 per cent of its electricity in 2024 from renewable energy sources like wind, hydropower and solar. The country is also phasing out its nuclear plants. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pushed back against such speculation and defended renewables. He asked for patience and said that his government would not 'deviate a single millimetre' from its energy transition plans, which include a goal of generating 81 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
Zawya
16-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
ACCIONA-led consortium awarded €35mln O&M deal for wastewater plant in Egypt
A Spanish-Egyptian consortium has been awarded a €35 million operations and maintenance (O&M) contract for Phase II of the Gabal El Asfar wastewater treatment complex in Egypt, the company said on Monday. The eight-year agreement was signed by Spain's ACCIONA and Egypt's DHCU with Construction Authority for Potable Water and Wastewater (CAPW) and covers rehabilitation and upgrade works at two treatment plants, each with a capacity of 500,000 cubic metres per day (m3/day). Gabal El Asfar, located in eastern Cairo, is one of the largest wastewater treatment facilities in Africa and the Middle East, with a total treatment capacity of 2.5 million m3/day. It serves the eastern part of Cairo which has a population of eight million people. In 2013, ACCIONA was awarded the contract for the design, construction and commissioning of an expansion of Gabal El Asfar, increasing its daily treatment capacity by 500,000 m³/day. In 2022, the ACCIONA-DHCU consortium secured an O&M contract for Phase I of the of the oldest wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the complex, which has a capacity of 1.5 million m³/day. Beyond Gabal El Asfar, ACCIONA has been active in Egypt's water infrastructure sector through partnerships with CAPW including operation of the upper-level water supply network in New Cairo from collection and transport of water from the Nile River for drinking water treatment to subsequent storage and suppy to consumers. The company has been involved in the construction of five other drinking water treatment plants in the country (Almerya, Rod el Farag, Mostorod, North Helwan I and North Helwan II) with a total treatment capacity of more than 600,000 m³/day to serve an estimated population of more than six million. The company also designed and commissioned the 5.6 million m³/day Bahr Al Baqr wastewater treatment plant in northwestern Egypt which supports agricultural irrigation. ACCIONA currently operates the wastewater treatment plants of Abnoub-El Fath (80,000 m³/day), Sodfa-El Ghanayem (30,000 m³/day), El Ayat (30,000 m³/day) and Abu Simbel (6,000 m³/day). (Writing by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Anoop Menon)
Zawya
29-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Dubai's AMEA Power, Spain's Cox to set up JV to develop water, power projects
Spanish water and energy company Cox and Dubai-based renewable energy producer AMEA Power have agreed to establish a joint venture to develop, execute, and manage strategic water and energy infrastructure projects across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The companies will combine their technical, operational, and financial capabilities to address critical resource challenges in regions with rapidly increasing demand, they said in a joint statement. AMEA Power holds a 3.76 percent stake in Cox as an anchor shareholder, acquired during the latter's IPO in November 2024. No financial details were shared on the joint venture. Cox's current concession portfolio comprises five water assets for up to 945,000 cubic metres per day (m³/day), six energy generation projects and two transmission line concessions. It has delivered more than 8.3 million m³/day in desalination and treatment capacity worldwide. The company operates under a concession-based business model focused on water and energy, and complemented by engineering, procurement, and operations & maintenance (O&M) services. AMEA Power's portfolio comprises a project pipeline exceeding 6 gigawatts (GW) and more than 2,600 megawatts (MW) in operation and under construction. 'We aim to develop projects where access to water and energy complement each other, creating new opportunities where both are essential for the sustainable development of communities,' said Enrique Riquelme, Executive Chairman of Cox. (Writing by P Deol; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
Al Bawaba
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Al Bawaba
Massive explosion at chemical plant near Spain's Seville sparks toxic smoke alert
Published May 14th, 2025 - 06:39 GMT The incident follows closely on the heels of a nationwide blackout that disrupted rail and flight operations, raising fresh concerns about infrastructure safety in Spain. ALBAWABA- A massive explosion rocked a chemical warehouse in an industrial zone near Seville, Spain, on Wednesday, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky and triggering widespread health alerts. The blast occurred around midday in Alcalá de Guadaíra, prompting authorities to urge residents across the area to stay indoors and close their windows due to fears of possible toxic exposure. While it remains unclear whether hazardous materials were ignited in the fire, emergency crews rushed to contain the blaze as the dense smoke spread across neighboring towns. MASSIVE fire at chemical warehouse near Seville, SpainLocals told to close windows as choking smoke fills sky Unclear if any hazardous chemicals are burning — RT (@RT_com) May 14, 2025 The incident follows closely on the heels of a nationwide blackout that disrupted rail and flight operations, raising fresh concerns about infrastructure safety in Spain. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
