Madrid/Carlos Rafael López Ibarra, turbine operator of the Antonio Maceo thermoelectric plant in Santiago de Cuba, known as Renté, died this morning as a consequence of the very serious burns suffered A week ago. The news was offered by the Electric Union of Cuba (UNE), which at that time also battled against the Eastern electrical system disconnectionwhich occurred after 7:30 p.m.
“With deep pain we communicate the irreparable loss of our partner. Accompanying family and friends in this painful moment. We transmit our deepest condolences in the name of the Directorate of the Electric Union and of all its workers,” communicated This morning is the state company.
López Ibarra, 33, suffered a work accident when he worked, on Sunday, August 31, in the breakdown of a steam pipe that was failing during the start and synchronization of the generation unit 5. A leak caused burns that, according to some unofficial sources, reached 89% of their body. The news began to circulate on social networks hours after it occurred but it was not until Tuesday that the UNE ended the rumors and officially confirmed the information.
A leak caused burns that, according to some unofficial sources, reached 89% of their body
His status, at that time, was “extreme critic with reserved prognosis, stable at the moment.” The official source indicated that it was at the Juan Bruno Zayas Surgical Clinical Hospital, “conscious, ventilating spontaneously, feeding orally. With all medicines and insured supplies”, however, gravity made a fatal outcome fear.
The reactions have arrived from a good part of the provincial electricity companies, in addition to the general population, although the message left by a partner who remembered López Ibarra with special affection. “Today all your coworkers feel your loss, because you were a great operator, partner, friend and a warrior who fought until the end for his life. When he speaks of the good qualities that a man can have we will always remember you. Today you live in each of the hearts of which we could have the privilege of meeting you and from which one day you gave him the hand and a yes to face the daily battles to which we submitted to the daily battles. day, ”he has written next to a label: forbidden to forget you.
The UNE had to give the painful information at the same time that its workers struggled against a new disconnection of the system that, in this case, affected the eastern electrical system. The problem occurred, according to the state, for “adverse weather conditions in the area.” It was 7:37 p.m. And the generation of electricity in the area was very low, the company specified, when the 220 kV line that joins the tunas with Guantanamo suffered a shot that completely disconnected the eastern system.
The event caused the exit of Mariel Unit 6 and forced to restart the system, starting with the Tunas, Camagüey and Holguín, whose main substations were the first to connect. The strategy, announced on television by Lázaro Guerra, director of Electricity of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, was to reach the MOA engines and then to the renté thermoelectric plant to start unit 6, since the 5 – where the accident that ended the life of López Ibarra, remains damaged.
The event caused the departure of Mariel Unit 6 and forced to restart the system, starting with the Tunas, Camagüey and Holguín, whose main substations were the first to connect
After 12 in the morning, Santiago de Cuba began to have electricity. It was then that the death of the Renté worker was reported. An hour later, it was possible to connect Guantanamo to the system. However, the restoration of the networks did not mean that the population already had effective light. The majority were still trapped between the breakdown and the low generation, for which it is not expected final.
This Sunday, when you join it He predicted An availability of 1,810 megawatts (MW) at the peak schedule and a demand of 3,450 MW, the calculated deficit was 1,640 MW, with an affectation of 1,710 MW. The complete blackout gave the disruption with these forecasts, but the huge deficit did not stop feeling in the western area of the island. In addition, according to some UNE workers, the technicians needed the energy that was generated in the west to recalibrate that of the East as the plants connected, which has left broad areas of the capital to dark during the night.
