The fuel tank at the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant (CTE) that caught fire last Friday contains ten thousand cubic meters of oil intended for power generation at the giant plant in Matanzas. This information was revealed by state journalist José Miguel Solís in a social media post, where he noted that 72 hours after the fire was extinguished, the thermal plant remains stable, generating 260 MW.
Engineer Román Pérez Castañeda, the technical deputy director of the CTE, confirmed that "at this moment, the block poses no threats that would prevent continued generation." He also specified that the fire-damaged tank requires repairs, particularly to the cover structure, which was deformed by the heat.
"In this regard, the water it received is being drained to then transfer the ten thousand cubic meters of oil to another storage facility," Pérez Castañeda stated. The engineer did not provide details about the logistics or the time required for the transfer operation of the 10,000 cubic meters of crude oil. He also did not specify whether it is heavy domestic crude or imported fuel.
According to Cuban regime authorities, the country's thermoelectric plants are operating with domestic crude, which has a high sulfur content. This is why the thermoelectric plants report more breakdowns and require more frequent maintenance than normally needed.
"For now, the Matanzas thermal plant is operating with another tank similar to the one that caught fire, which is supplied from the Matanzas supertanker base. This task demands precise quality parameters, given the lack of adequate 'rest' time in the Matanzas block," Solís noted in his post.
To reassure the public, Pérez Castañeda assured that this mode of operation is not new for the Matanzas thermoelectric plant. "On other occasions, we have operated under similar conditions without major issues," he stated.
"After these operations, a specialized tank construction brigade will intervene to handle the defect detection and subsequent restoration of the storage facility," concluded the Guiteras director.
Assuming the fuel in the fire-damaged tank is of Cuban origin, the ten thousand cubic meters of high-sulfur heavy crude would weigh approximately 9,500 tons.
"For those who don't want us to receive oil... two ships. Don't panic, we're also receiving fuel, okay?" Solís said in early April regarding the arrival of another fuel ship in Matanzas.
Independent media outlets reported that it could be the tanker ship Nordic, arriving in Matanzas with a cargo of approximately 60,000 tons of oil.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Guiteras Plant Fire
Here are some common questions and answers regarding the recent fire at the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant and its impact on fuel storage and power generation.
What caused the fire at the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant?
The specific cause of the fire has not been disclosed, but it involved a fuel tank containing ten thousand cubic meters of oil.
How much oil was in the damaged tank?
The damaged tank contained ten thousand cubic meters of oil.
Is the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant still operational?
Yes, the plant is currently stable and generating 260 MW of power.
What steps are being taken to repair the damaged tank?
The water received by the tank is being drained, and the oil will be transferred to another storage facility. A specialized brigade will then handle the repair.