Guatemala Considers Daylight Saving Revival

Guatemala’s electric energy commission recently proposed the revival of daylight saving time (DST) for the nation in the future. Its neighboring country, Mexico, recently ended its daylight saving schedule for 2009. In the meantime, there is a push for Venezuela to amend its time zone during its winter season.

Proposed Daylight Saving in Guatemala

The National Electric Energy Commission (CNEE) in Guatemala has proposed for daylight saving time (DST) to take place across the country in 2010. This daylight saving proposal aims to save power and prevent energy supply problems in Guatemala during the summer months in the country. The commission hopes that the proposed DST would run from April 3 until October 30 in 2010.

The proposal’s goal is to reduce the risk of rationed services that resulted from the decline in power generation due to a severe and prolonged drought that occurred in Guatemala 2009.It is anticipated that the Ministry of Energy and Mines would review the proposal and consider pushing it forward to cut down electricity usage and save energy. One of Guatemala’s neighboring countries, Mexico, observes an annual daylight saving schedule, which runs from the first Sunday of April to the last Sunday of October. Mexico’s 2009 DST schedule ended on Sunday, October 25, 2009.

Guatemala is six hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), or UTC–6, and does not observe DST. Its last daylight saving schedule ran from April 30 to September 30, 2006. Those who argued that Venezuela did not need DST believed that DST did not bring greater benefits, nor did it save energy or costs associated with electricity.

Push for Time Zone Change in Venezuela

The Middle Class Socialist Organization in Venezuela is pushing for the country’s government to consider changing the country’s time zone so people could make the most out of their work and school days. There is talk of proposing for a time zone change to apply only during Venezuela’s winter months. The proposed time zone change also aims to cut down energy consumption across the nation.