A massive fire at one of the transformers in the Zayas substation in Artemisa has left several municipalities in the province without electricity. A report from the National News of Cuban Television (NTV) indicated that four municipalities in Artemisa have been affected since Friday afternoon when the incident occurred.
The official media described the event as a "major breakdown" caused by the flames. Firefighters and technicians from the Electric Company were dispatched to the substation, located in the Mariel municipality.
"The damage to the transformer at the substation affected one of the sub-transmission lines that feed different distribution substations, which failed at several points," explained Iskander Morales Suárez, general director of the Electric Company of Artemisa.
Efforts to Restore Power
According to the director, the short circuit affected the substation's protections, causing the transformer to catch fire. "Today we are working with 10 teams. Each team is responsible for resolving a specific issue. We are working together to recover a transformer here at the substation, which is almost ready to normalize, and we will work until it is resolved," added Morales Suárez.
He also assured that the service would be gradually restored "as the system absorbs the load." Simultaneously, he asked the population for "confidence" and explained that the restoration efforts are supported by "qualified personnel from Havana for all secondary tasks."
Images sent to CiberCuba showed the extent of the fire at the Zayas electrical substation. According to the NTV report, the intervention of the Fire Department prevented more significant damage at the site.
At the end of April, four towns were left without electricity due to a fire that affected a power line in the province of Villa Clara. As a result, the towns of La Ceniza, Manajanabo, Miller, and Falcón were without service but received electrical flow through the Placetas substation.
In June 2023, a fire at a Pinar del Río electrical substation left half of that territory without power. The Cuban Electric Union (UNE) reported that the problem originated from a malfunction in a current transformer at the 110 KV substation.
Impact of the Artemisa Substation Fire
The following questions and answers provide more insights into the situation and its implications.
What caused the fire at the Zayas substation?
The fire was caused by a short circuit that damaged the protections of the substation, leading to the transformer catching fire.
How is the restoration of electrical service being handled?
Ten teams are working together to recover the damaged transformer and resolve specific issues. The service will be gradually restored as the system absorbs the load.
Have there been similar incidents in other provinces?
Yes, similar incidents have occurred recently, including a fire in Villa Clara in April 2023 and another in Pinar del Río in June 2023.