The last of the Turkish floating plants arrived in Cuba, last november 15began this Monday to test its engines to, “in the next few days”, provide 110 megawatts (MW) of power through the National Electric System (SEN).
“Today the adjustment up to engine number three was finished, in the afternoon today the adjustment and start-up of engine number four will begin, and so on, five and six,” he told the official television Rafael Rigoberto Matos García, general director of Distributed Generation of Havana, who described the verifications as “satisfactory”.
Belonging to the Turkish company Karpowership, part of the Karadeniz Holding, the seven plants of this type in Cuba, distributed between the port of Mariel and Havana, which need fuel to function, are, in the words of the official press, “part of the strategy to gradually increase generation capacities and move the country away from the effects of charge deficits”.
However, once they are all synchronized with the SEN, they will contribute just over 400 MW, an insufficient figure to alleviate the energy deficit on the island. This same Monday, for example, the Cuban Electric Union reported a “maximum impact “of 1,057 megawatts.
Not surprisingly, the authorities predict that in 2023 the Turkish units will only provide between 18% and 20% of electricity on the Island
In its daily message, the state company detailed, as usual, the rosary of thermoelectric plants that were damaged or under maintenance: Mariel, Tallapiedra, Nuevitas, Felton, Santa Cruz, Nuevitas, Renté and, after leaving the system again, Guiteras. In total, they represent an “unavailable” generation of more than 1,600 MW, something that floating plants would not even come close to supplying.
Not in vain, the authorities predict that in 2023 the Turkish units will only contribute between 18% and 20% of electricity on the Island.
The “importance” of these Turkish plants was underlined, recalls national television, by President Miguel Díaz-Canel during his recent official visit to Istanbul, where he declared: “You are part of the hope that the Cuban people have in improving the situation energetic”.
Indeed, as recognized by the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vincent de la O LevyDíaz-Canel’s tour of Algeria, Turkey, Russia and China had “the energy issue” as a priority.
Although he did not offer many details of the agreements reached at each of the stops of the presidential visit, the official assured that “in all four countries it was a success.”
In Algeria, he said in statements collected by Cubadebate, it was decided to “resume the stable supply of fuel to Cuba” for the supply of power plants, in addition to receiving the donation of “a photovoltaic park that will be installed in Havana, but that will be interconnected to the National Electro-energy System and will benefit to all the people of Cuba, from Pinar del Río to Guantánamo”.
Similarly, without further specifications, De la O said that in Russia “there was talk of supporting the National Electro-energy System in issues associated with the supply of fuel, renewable energy and the operation of thermoelectric plants.”
Finally, in China, “actions were specified to resume the photovoltaic parks that were stopped due to lack of financing”, as well as “analyze and make payment conditions more flexible so that investments continue”, the latter in a clear allusion to non-payment of the debt that the Island has with Beijing.
It remains to be seen if the trip will have an effect on the Government’s objective of “reducing the effects on the population in the month of December”, the goal set by Díaz-Canel himself last August for the end of the blackouts.
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