The Cuban Ministry of Energy and Mines announced on Thursday that they have successfully restored an electrical subsystem spanning from Matanzas to Holguín. This achievement was made possible by bringing thermal power plants, Energas Varadero, and distributed generation centers in these areas back online. This action is part of a broader strategy to create independent regional power systems after the National Electric System (SEN) was disrupted by the impact of Hurricane Rafael.
On the social media platform X, the ministry also reported that they are actively assessing transmission networks and working on the repair of lines in Havana, Mayabeque, and Artemisa to restore service as quickly as possible. Earlier reports from the same ministry have indicated that restoring electrical service in these provinces will be "a slow process."
Efforts in Isla de la Juventud and Pinar del Río
In updates shared on X, the government revealed that in the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, 55.7% of electrical service has been restored, with full recovery expected by the end of the day. Meanwhile, in Pinar del Río, a microsystem generating 27 MW is serving 19% of the population.
However, the Electric Union (UNE) noted on Facebook that there are damages to 220 kV structures on the Mariel-Pinar Line. "There is a lot of work ahead, but we will persevere. The Electric Union has the necessary resources to reverse the damage and will work tirelessly until our electrical networks are fully recovered," stated the UNE.
Progress in Matanzas
Furthermore, in the province of Matanzas, several circuits have been reactivated, particularly in the cities of Matanzas, Cárdenas, and Colón, thanks to the synchronization efforts of Energas Varadero. These efforts are part of the Cuban regime’s response to the destruction caused by the strong winds of Hurricane Rafael, which led to the disconnection of the SEN at 2:48 p.m. on Wednesday.