The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant, in Matanzas, the largest in the country, is once again stopped. An “unforeseen” breakdown produced this Thursday will keep its largest generator out of the National Electric System for 5 or 6 days, according to the state company responsible for production.
The Cuban Electrical Union (UNE) informed through its official channels of a meeting of the National Energy Council with its provincial delegations to “trace the necessary measures to face the present situation”, which makes fear the worst for a population tired of power outages and blackouts.
The UNE has already requested that both the business and residential sectors reduce consumption as much as possible, especially during peak hours, which go from 11 am to 1 pm and from 6 to 9 pm. In social networks, most have reacted ironically with the bad news: “Excellent news, summer is here,” says a user.
In social networks, most have reacted ironically with the bad news: “Excellent news, summer is here,” says a user
These types of comments have been repeated in all possible shades. Cubans are used to the worst of electricity generation coinciding, logically, with the moment of greatest demand on the island, when the fans and air conditioners start up in the face of the relentless heat.
Lázaro Guerra Hernández, technical director of the UNE, asked the population to save in the face of what he described as the “energy contingency that the country presents today” and predicted that the thermoelectric plant will be synchronized with the system this Sunday, March 20, which, in the event if fulfilled, it would reduce the first expectation of almost a week.
The official explained that the breakdown is due to a leak in the unit’s boiler, which affects the generation capacity and the decrease in reserves.
The situation would be more bearable if it were not for the fact that the Máximo Gómez de Mariel thermoelectric plant is still being repaired. Last March 7, an explosion at the Artemiseña plant, caused a spectacular fire in which there were no victims or injuries. However, the incident was caused by the explosion in the steam turbine of one of its units and the works have not been completed.
That plant had just been repaired when the accident occurred, less than two weeks ago. But, in addition, the thermoelectric plant had a good list of breakdowns, in the most recent one two workers were seriously injured with second and third degree burns, and in 2010 one worker died.
The thermoelectric plant now affected is not far behind that one. Last June a breakdown occurred that forced power cuts of more than five hours a day that the Government had planned for summer in all the island’s provinces to be brought forward. At that time, the accident occurred in concurrence with the output of the National Electroenergetic System (SEN) of several units of the thermoelectric plants Lidio Ramón Pérez de Felton, in Holguín and Renté 6, in Santiago de Cuba. One more example of the chain of problems suffered by electricity generation in the country.
At the end of summer, when the population was fed up, the electricity monopoly published a note to give explanations to users in which he detailed that most of the problems that lead to the precarious situation are attributed to the obsoleteness of the thermoelectric park and the problems to carry out the maintenance that they require.
In the plants there are 10 blocks that have been in operation for more than 30 years, 7 exceed 40 and only two have less than 25, when the useful life of one of these thermoelectric plants is 30 to 35 years
In the plants there are 10 blocks that have been in operation for more than 30 years, 7 exceed 40 and only two have less than 25, when the useful life of one of these thermoelectric plants is 30 to 35 years.
The UNE pointed out that the fall of the USSR, the obligation to burn fuel of poorer quality and the difficulties in acquiring materials or credits due to US sanctions put in trouble an electrical system that has more demand than it can support.
In summer, 400,000 tons of fuel per month are sent to the country’s thermal power plants to cover electricity demand, which is divided between 56% of the residential sector and 44% of the business sector.
At the end of January, its directors announced a large maintenance work for this 2022 that would result in greater generation capacity to the Antonio Guiteras, which was founded more than three decades ago. The authorities consider it, and they announce it on their networks, “the most efficient” on the island.
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