(El Universal) - "A total of 50,000 natural gas vehicles are expected to circulate in 2007 based on the Plan NGV (Natural Gas for Vehicles), said Minister of Energy and Petroleum and state-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) CEO Rafael Ramírez.

The blueprint forms an integral part of Mission Energy Revolution, kicked off last November 17th by President Hugo Chávez. The mission initial stage included replacement of incandescent bulbs with power-saving bulbs.

The move is intended to curb energy waste and educate on reduced consumption of liquid fuels in the domestic market.

'In Venezuela, a prior experience with NGV was very loose as public policy. Now we are implementing it directly. We will import gas buses and establish a plant to manufacture the tools for the Plan NGV,' Ramírez reported in a press release.

He explained also that the widespread installation of gas devices will be for free".