SLP, Mexico.- The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the largest generation in the country, synchronized the National Electroenergetic System (SEN) this Monday, but this does not affect the reduction of the prolonged blackouts in Cuba.
According to official journalist José Miguel Solís, Guiteras had to stop due to problems and then reconnect to the SEN. This Monday, when starting up, it was already generating 160 MW and gaining power. However, the part of the Electrical Union (UNE) estimated the impact at 1,365 MW during the time of highest electricity consumption in the country.
Although this is a smaller deficit than the 1,492 MW affected this Sunday, blackouts will persist throughout the year. territory national.
Although Guiteras entered the SEN, unit one of the Santa Cruz del Norte thermoelectric plant left, bringing the total to nine units outside the system. Some enter and others leave, simultaneously changing their position in the system.
Unit 5 of the CTE Mariel, unit 1 of the CTE Santa Cruz, unit 5 of Nuevitas, unit 3 of the CTE Renté and unit 2 of the CTE Felton are “broken down.” According to the UNE, unit 2 of the CTE Santa Cruz, units 3 and 4 of the CTE Cienfuegos and unit 5 of the CTE Renté are in the process of maintenance.
The collapse of the decaying SEN, the lack of fuel and the emergency situations due to the recent passage of two hurricanes through the Island, continue to impact a chaotic electro-energy panorama in the country.
This Sunday, in addition, Erick Milanés Quinzán, director of the CTE Lidio Ramón Pérez, located in Felton, Holguín, explained that the rehabilitation of the boiler in block No. 2, outside the SEN, will begin in May 2025 and the work would conclude in 2028.
The unit, which contributes 125 MW to the SEN, had been out of service after a fire in July 2022.
According to the manager, the Felton unit, which supplies the central-eastern region of Cuba, will remain out of work.
In his opinion, the country already has the necessary resources to begin the repair work but they are still waiting for supplies for the assembly of the new boiler and at the end of this year they hope to have the necessary financing for the acquisition of the rest of the elements and equipment. .
This weekend almost half of Cuba was in blackout. The electricity company justifies that the limitations on thermal generation are 353 MW. Currently, 45 distributed generation plants with 236 MW and the Santiago de Cuba plateau with 64 MW are out of service due to fuel, which adds up to 300 MW affected.
Although in May the Cuban ruler, Miguel Diaz-Canelsaid that the country would experience “prolonged” power outages until June due to maintenance work on the energy system, they are still disconnecting units due to these “fixes” that would influence a decrease in blackouts. Almost six months have passed since June and the outlook has only gotten worse.
