The President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, toured the Antonio Maceo thermoelectric plants in Santiago de Cuba and the Lidio Ramón Pérez plants in Holguín on Thursday to monitor the recovery of capacity in the National Electric System (SEN, for its Span su acronym) amid the difficult situation facing the nation, with prolonged and disruptive blackouts resulting from high and sustained generation deficits.
This morning, at the plant popularly known as Renté, Jesús Aguilar Hernández, General Director, detailed the current operating conditions at the plant, which has been affected by numerous unforeseen outages but is moving toward stability following the entry into operation of its 70-megawatt (MW) block five after partial maintenance.
The remaining units, units six and three, are generating 50 MW each outside the maintenance cycle. Unit four has been in technical shutdown since 2023, but its recovery strategy is being prepared as part of the Government Plan to strengthen the SEN.
According to information released at the meeting with provincial and CTE executives, light maintenance is planned for December at units six and three, which will allow the important generating plant in eastern Cuba to be in better condition by the end of the year. We are on the path to stability, Aguilar Hernández stated, but we must maintain that, and that's what we're working toward.
Regarding this, the Head of State emphasized the quality of maintenance, both on units six and three, as well as on unit five, which must also undergo corrective work soon, as is customary after maintenance and startup processes. All of this, he indicated, is intended to continue recovering power in this area of the archipelago and have more energy availability by the end of the year.
In a conversation with Renté workers, Díaz-Canel recognized the country's electricity workers for the heroic, intensive, and tireless work they are doing. He defended the strategy outlined by the Cuban government to strengthen the National Electric System, which includes recovering capacity in thermal and distributed generation, as well as continuing to build photovoltaic solar parks.
Regarding the latter, he highlighted the generation of more than 600 MW being achieved during the day at these facilities. Of the photovoltaic solar parks committed for this year, only one remains to be started; the others are either operational or under construction, he noted.
POSITIVE IMPACT AND CHALLENGES IN RENTÉ
In statements to the press, Renté's CEO explained, shortly before the President's visit, that "the entry of block five has had a positive impact on the plant. He considered it represents the injection this plant needed to achieve sustainability, but also to increase production levels."
During the first half of the year, he explained, "we operated with an average load of 80 MW; today we have 170 MW in service, which strengthens the plant and the SEN."
He commented on preventive and corrective maintenance actions to maintain these production levels and, "a slightly longer-term but well-intentioned recovery of block four, which is currently in temporary technical shutdown, but with all the will and strategy to recover it, which requires financing, but the strategy is in place to achieve it in the near future.
Aguilar Hernández was emphatic when speaking about his employees: "We always say that behind every light bulb that goes out, there are hundreds of people working to ensure that doesn't happen. Given our technological capabilities, we have implemented a work system that guarantees 24-hour support."
Today, financing problems are only overcome by collective intelligence and the commitment of our workers to maintain energy generation, he said.
Every time a block goes out of service, hundreds of workers are on call, he emphasized. "Instability causes inconvenience, of course, to all services, both the population and the economy, and we work hard to minimize and shorten repair times, but that's a reality."
When questioned about the fire that occurred a few days ago in the industrial zone of Santiago de Cuba, specifically in a generator battery, the Director clarified that "that location is actually located approximately one kilometer from the plant itself. There was no danger," he reported.
"The plant remained in production the entire time, of course, alert to the event, providing support, and extinguishing the fire. But really, from a production standpoint, it has had no impact on the thermoelectric plant."
On this matter, the president had stated at the meeting that the investigation into the accident is ongoing and will be carried out to the end to determine the causes and responsibility.
FELTON AT 200 MW, BUT CAN GIVE MORE
Later that afternoon, President Díaz-Canel arrived at the Lidio Ramón Pérez Thermoelectric Plant in Felton, Holguín province, one of the pillars of the Cuban electrical system.
Its General Manager, Erick Milanés Quinzán, reported that the plant is currently generating 200 MW in its first block, with its capacity limited to 260 MW due to corrosion in the boiler.
In the detailed exchange, the executive explained strategies for resolving issues with the unit's boiler, generator, and turbine, which could affect its operation, although it is currently online. He also discussed the progress of the recovery of block two, which was severely damaged by a fire in 2022.
The Head of State emphasized the importance of this CTE, not only for its generating capacity but also for its strategic location in the eastern part of the Island. He spoke of continuing to work to improve block one and recover block two, for which there are clear strategies, several proposals requiring significant funding, and currently being analyzed by electricity sector specialists.
There, he was briefed on the efforts being made with various nations, as well as on the manufacturing of important parts in the country's workshops for the recovery of Block Two, thereby replacing imports and boosting local industry.
Díaz-Canel, as has been customary on this tour, which has already included five thermoelectric plants since last week, inquired about the care provided to Felton workers and learned that priority is being given to specialized medical care, the sale of medications at the plant, the delivery of food and hygiene kits, vacation plans for workers and families, and, very importantly, security and protection measures. At the same time, average wages have increased.
On this intensive tour of eastern Cuba, the First Secretary was accompanied by Jorge Luis Broche Lorenzo, member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee and head of its Economic and Productive Department; Vicente de la O Levy, Minister of Energy and Mines; and Alfredo López Valdés, Director General of the Electric Union.
