The theft of 300 liters of dielectric oil has plunged the community of Dos Caminos in San Luis, Santiago de Cuba, into darkness, impacting both local residents and the economy. Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the first secretary of the PCC in Santiago de Cuba, revealed through Facebook that the incident occurred due to a severe malfunction of a transformer following the theft of this critical component.
Johnson Urrutia highlighted that around 2:30 a.m., a recirculation machine was deployed, which was crucial for the transformer's recovery. The provincial leader emphasized that workers from the Electrical Company have been tirelessly working to address this dire situation and restore power to the affected community.
The dielectric oil serves a vital role in transformers, acting as an insulator and dissipating heat to prevent overheating and significant failures. Johnson noted that without this oil, the transformer's efficiency is severely compromised, posing risks not only to the electrical infrastructure but also to the community's well-being.
Authorities from the Ministry of the Interior have launched an investigation into the theft, vowing that those responsible will face consequences. Meanwhile, the Santiago de Cuba Electrical Company announced on Facebook that "several days ago, the transformer at the Dos Caminos Substation failed, leaving the community without power."
Francisco Sanamé, the head of the Line and Substation Maintenance Brigade, stated that efforts have been underway to secure a replacement transformer since the issue arose. He emphasized that the transformer is undergoing essential tests, including resistance, TPR, and insulation checks, which are crucial for its operation.
The timeline for getting the transformer operational depends largely on its response during these preparations. Sanamé attributed some delays to weather conditions affecting the transformer's temperature.
Despite these efforts, residents have been enduring power outages since last Friday. María Mesa reported on Facebook that a relative in Dos Caminos informed her of the ongoing electricity shortage. Yusmaikel Valier Ramírez, the First Secretary of the Communist Party's Municipal Committee in San Luis, acknowledged the persistent outage affecting Dos Caminos and Paquito Rosales.
Valier stated that the Electrical Company teams from San Luis and Santiago de Cuba are working diligently to restore this essential service. In June, the Cuban Electricity Union authorities condemned the rising theft of transformer oil across the country's substations, further complicating Cuba's energy crisis.
Onasis Trujillo, the head of the Substations, Lines, and Networks Group at UNE, explained that the removal of oil can often destroy the transformer, as it is integral to the device's insulation, potentially leading to its complete failure. However, the regime frequently uses these thefts as an excuse to justify the daily power outages endured by the Cuban population.