LIMA, Peru – With eight thermoelectric units out of service and the lack of fuel facing the Island, blackouts continue to aggravate the country’s situation this Sunday, with long hours of consecutive interruption, even in the capital.
As recognized by the Electrical Union (UNE), last Saturday the service was affected for 24 hours and the maximum impact due to a deficit in generation capacity was 1,791 megawatts (MW) at 7:20 p.m.
The situation for this Sunday is not encouraging either, according to the conservative part offered by UNE. The National Electric System (SEN) once again faces a critical generation deficit that will cause prolonged and simultaneous outages in more than half of the country.
According to official information, for the hours of greatest demand—afternoon and night—an availability of only 1,457 MW is expected, compared to an estimated demand of 3,130 MW, which implies a deficit of 1,673 MW. Consequently, the UNE estimates an impact of up to 1,703 MW, which is equivalent to simultaneous blackouts in at least 54% of the national territory.
The report also indicates that eight thermoelectric units are out of service due to breakdowns and maintenance. The damaged plants are Unit 5 of the Mariel Thermoelectric Power Plant (CTE), Unit 2 of the Santa Cruz CTE, Unit 2 of the Felton CTE and Units 5 and 6 of the Antonio Maceo CTE.
In turn, Unit 6 of the Mariel CTE, Unit 5 of the Nuevitas CTE, and Unit 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes CTE in Cienfuegos are stopped for repairs.
Added to this is the paralysis of dozens of distributed generation plants due to lack of fuelas well as the unavailability of electric motors due to a lack of diesel and lubricants. Limitations in thermal generation put an end to 491 MW out of service on February 8.
“I hear that they don’t go below 1,700 MW at the peak,” commented a Facebook user identified as Livan Hernández in the daily report of the state electricity company.
“It’s like plowing in the sea. The high deficit will continue even in cool temperatures… And thus the life that we live poorly, those of us who can’t live it,” lamented Internet user Maritza Emilia Marangue Duarte.
“Unit 2 of Santa Cruz, after being maintained for more than a year, cannot be online 24 hours. Tremendous quality in that maintenance,” said Carlos Carrión Tapanes, another user, sarcastically.
