Venezuela to end power rationing next week

Venezuelan President Nicolas Madura has said that his country will on Monday end an electricity rationing programme launched in April intended to deal with a severe drought that crippled hydroelectric operations.

The rationing programme was put in place after Venezuela suffered its worst drought in 40 years.

Maduro's government has rationed electricity in the provinces, cut the work week for public employees to two days, and cancelled school on Fridays to save power as the country's massive Guri dam dried up.

Maduro said in a televised broadcast: "As of Monday we can say that the power administration plan will stop and electrical service will function normally across the country."

"Today we can say that Guri has recovered and we have the conditions under which power service can function normally."

Heavily subsidised electricity in Venezuela has spurred one of the region's highest rates of power consumption and left state-run utilities with limited revenue.

Critics say the government has failed to invest in generation and transmission facilities, leaving the country's electricity system prone to blackouts and unable to maintain service during periods of limited rainfall.