Two weeks have passed since Hurricane Rafael unleashed its fury on western Cuba, yet nearly 40% of Artemisa, the province hit hardest by the storm, still languishes in darkness. Gladys Martínez Verdecia, head of the Provincial Defense Council, reported that as of midday Tuesday, only 63.55% of the population had their power restored. This comes two weeks after Rafael struck the province on November 6, packing winds of 180 kilometers per hour as a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which maxes out at 5.
Martínez mentioned that by Tuesday night, the aim was to have power back for 69% of the customers, but the provincial electric company has yet to update this figure on its official channels. According to the Granma newspaper, the towns of Alquízar and Caimito are facing the most severe electricity shortages, though specific numbers were not disclosed. On a brighter note, she did confirm that San Cristóbal has achieved 97% power coverage, and the city of Artemisa stands at 58%.
Efforts to restore power are bolstered by a crew of linemen from Havana in Caimito, with a team from Guantánamo set to arrive in Alquízar soon. These teams are joining local and national crews working tirelessly to bring electricity back to the province.
Communication and Water Supply Recovery
Martínez also provided an update on communications and water supply, both of which suffered due to the hurricane. Her data indicates that 91% of landline services and 88.8% of mobile services have been restored, along with potable water access for 84.5% of Artemisa’s residents.
Hurricane Rafael wreaked havoc across Artemisa, inflicting severe damage on homes, infrastructure, and crops as it swept through the region from south to north on November 6. The storm's intense winds toppled countless power poles and demolished several high-voltage towers, leaving both Artemisa and Pinar del Río without electricity.
Power Restoration Efforts Underway
Last week, the first of six high-voltage towers was assembled and erected at kilometer 32 of the Havana-Pinar del Río highway. On Tuesday, Artemisa's Electric Company announced that the fifth tower on the 220 kV line was completed. Meanwhile, the nation faces worsening power generation shortages, exacerbated by the shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant for "urgent boiler repairs."
The Electric Union forecasts 1,541 MW of power outages during peak hours on Tuesday, with an exceptionally high daytime impact of 1,200 MW. Currently, nine thermoelectric units are out of service across Cuba, a figure that continues to rise in recent months.