MIAMI, United States. — The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, one of the largest of its kind in Cuba, will rejoin power generation between May and June 2023, reported the Unión Eléctrica (UNE).
Edier Guzmán Pacheco, director of Thermal Generation of the state company, told the Cuban Television that the running-in and synchronization process of the unit must take place at the end of May, so that in June this block can be incorporated into the national electrical system and guarantee its power for the months of July and August.
According to the UNE official, the return to operations of the plant from Matanzas will not put an end to its problems. In this sense, it is expected that the unit will receive capital “maintenance” before the end of 2023, which could be extended for up to six months.
“Not all causes or all problems are going to be solved. Those are jobs that have to be done in capital maintenance, which can last up to six months. We are going to increase reliability, we are going to make the block enter as stable as possible, but all these elements would be resolved in the capital maintenance, which is planned to be carried out by the end of this 2023, “said Guzmán Pacheco.
The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant suffered numerous breakdowns throughout the past year, which affected the deficit in energy generation in the country. One of his main problems were the failures in the pipes of the high-temperature superheater, which caused the machine to stop on 11 occasions.
According to the director of the UNE, these defects will be solved from the sanitation of the pipes, and it is also expected to solve the problems in the automatic control systems and other technological limitations.
Guzmán Pacheco also indicated that the country has spare parts to replace the turbine rotor and that there are trained technicians and specialists. However, he specified that turbine work lasts a long time due to the high rigor with which adjustments must be made.
