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Power generation situation in Cuba continues to be difficult due to fires, breakdowns and instability in operation units, Energy and Mines Minister Livan Arronte said.
Upon analyzing the current National Electro-Energy System situation with executives and specialists of the state-run energy company Union Electrica (UNE), the minister insisted that the incidents in the thermoelectric power plants prevented to guarantee the electric service for the summer, as the minimum reserve necessary to cover the demand was lost, which causes the annoying blackouts.
Speaking on national television, Arronte assured that there was no negligence or intentionality, so the current situation is the result of the lack of maintenance and the impossibility so far to solve all the existing technological problems.
The limitations for the purchase of fuels given the significant rise in prices in the international market, the difficulties imposed by the US economic blockade to acquire them and the problems that this policy generates for the access to equipment and parts are also added to this situation.
The current generation deficit causes power cuts in the service to the population, but also several high consumer industries had to stop working, which will have repercussions in the country’s economic recovery, Arronte said.
He stated that 56 of more than 200 measures implemented by Donald Trump’s administration, still in force, directly affect the sector.
Arronte assured that despite the tense situation, there are solutions, but they will not happen immediate, but gradually, for which the strategy to recover the generation capacities was updated, backed by a funding allocated for the execution of this program that will allow reaching sustainability.
Thus, Cuba plans to recover some 489 megawatts (MW) for both thermal and distributed generation, and through new investments contribute another 531 MW to the national electricity system.
