The “unexpected departure” of unit 1 from the Thermoelectric Power Plant (CTE) Lidio Ramón Pérez, from Felton, in the eastern Cuban province of Holguinwill increase the effects on the electricity generation on the Island, according to official sources.
The fault was detected in the plant’s boiler and began to affect the electrical service due to capacity deficit starting at 5:38 in the morning, after the previous day the power cuts lasted until after midnight this Monday, as reported by the Electric Union (UNE) on its social networks.
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This affectation “must be maintained throughout the day” and during daytime hours it is estimated at 450 MW. Already at night, during the so-called “peak hours”, the start-up of units 4 and 5 of the CTE Antonio Maceo, in Santiago de Cuba, with 50 and 90 MW respectively, and the use of 126 MW in motors, is expected. Diesel, however, will not prevent annoying blackouts.
According to the UNE, “an availability of 2,451 MW and a maximum demand of 2,850 MW are estimated for peak hours, for a deficit of 399 MW, so if the expected conditions are maintained, an affectation of 470 MW is forecast. at the peak, it is estimated that the service will be restored at 03:00 tomorrow morning”.
The entity confirmed that units 6, 7 and 8 of the CTE Máximo Gómez, the CTE unit Otto Parellada, unit 4 of the CTE Diez de Octubre, and the now damaged unit 1 of the CTE are out of service due to breakdowns. CTE Lidio Ramón Pérez, as well as units 4 and 5 of the CTE Antonio Maceo, which must join the day.
In addition, unit 5 of the CTE Diez de Octubre and unit 2 of the CTE Lidio Ramón Pérez are under maintenance, while the limitations in thermal generation (408 MW) and in distributed generation are maintained, they are unavailable due to breakdown 1076 MW and maintenance 394 MW.
Unit 1 of the Felton thermoelectric plant had synchronized with the National Electroenergetic System (SEN) in the early hours of June 22 after “maintenance that cannot be postponed” due to the dirt accumulated in the boiler, as reported then, so it was only in operation for about ten days before suffering a breakage, precisely in the boiler.
Since the beginning of March, the second block of the Lidio Ramón Pérez has been the object of a capitalizable partial repair, in which work continues with a view to its prompt reincorporation, according to authorities. For this reason, the CTE with the largest installed capacity in the country is currently completely out of service, which, logically, has a greater impact on the already limited generation on the Island and on the electricity service to both the state and local sectors. to the population.
