The breakdowns in seven thermoelectric plants and the lack of fuel oil have brought back the blackouts of more than 12 hours
14ymedio, Havana, August 22, 2024 — If with a deficit of less than 500 megawatts (MW) two days ago Cubans suffered blackouts of up to 19 hours, for this Thursday they fear it will be worst. The Electric Union of Cuba (UNE) predicts in its daily report a deficit of 1,235 MW for peak hours and an impact – which will finally switch off – of 1,305 MW.
It is a record figure for the last three months, very close to the 1,400 megawatts reached on May 28, and it will affect 39% of the island’s consumption during Thursday afternoon and night.
The Island had not reached such a high deficit for weeks, but the lack of fuel and breakdowns in seven thermoelectric plants have brought back the blackouts of more than 12 hours. “It has not been possible to avoid the impacts,” the UNE excuses itself in its statement without further arguments.
On Tuesday, the the Felton ’Lidio Ramón Pérez’ thermal power plant (CTE) in Holguín broke down due to a “puncture in the boiler” that will have it offline until at least Sunday. This was followed by the exit from the system of the ’Diez de Octubre’ CTE in Nuevitas (Camagüey) on Wednesday, by a “critical route,” said the state company. The UNE determined that they need to clean the boiler in a process that will last at least 40 hours. In addition, unit 5 of the ’Máximo Gómez’ CTE, in Mariel, units 1 and 3 in that of Santa Cruz del Norte (Mayabeque) and unit 4 of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (Cienfuegos) are out of service due t