Cuba increased its capacity to electricity generation with the entry into operation of unit 6 of the Antonio Maceo Thermoelectric Power Plant (CTE), located in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba, official media report.
However, for this Sunday there were scheduled damages due to a generation deficit, according to the sector authorities.
Unit 6 of the Santiago plant contributes 60 megawatts (MW) to the island’s electrical system, refers the official newspaper Granmaaccording to which this figure is added to the 187 MW that units 3, 4 and 5 generated together.
In this way, the Antonio Maceo CTE increased its generation to 247 MW.
The new unit in operation synchronized the national system after 14 days of light maintenance, mainly in the boiler and turbine areas, and after carrying out the required technical tests this Saturday.
Cuba: the situation of the electrical system remains “tense”
In the next few days, the “Renté”, as the Santiago thermoelectric plant is known, “will complete the necessary resources to paralyze unit four and subject it to light maintenance for 12 days, which will increase its power,” he says. Granma.
The entry into operation of unit 6 occurs shortly after a visit to the plant by President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who these days is touring the country’s generating plants. This Sunday the president toured the CTE Máximo Gómez, in the municipality of Mariel, and the Otto Parellada, in Havana.
According to the state newspaper, Díaz-Canel told the press during the tour that “he is working very hard, with a lot of commitment and with a lot of responsibility in the face of the current electro-energy situation.” Previously, in a radio and television intervention, had assured that “the commitment is to work and deliver results, above all to seek a more stable situation during the summer period”.
For its part, the Electric Union (UNE) notified that affectations were expected for this Sunday “throughout the day until the end of tonight” due to a generation deficit.
According to the entity, units 6 and 7 of the CTE Máximo Gómez and units 4 and 5 of the CTE Diez de Octubre are currently out of service due to breakdowns, while the unit of the CTE Otto Parellada is undergoing maintenance, and units 1 and 2 of the CTE Lidio Ramón Pérez, while unit 6 of the CTE Antonio Maceo was in the start-up process and will be fully incorporated today, as well as unit 5 of the Diez de Octubre with 105 MW.
If the expected conditions are maintained, the UNE foresaw a maximum impact of 300 MW at noon and a deficit of 143 MW at peak hours at night, “so service disruptions are forecast at this time”, although the service could be restored at 23:30 PM (local time).
