Rubén Campos Olmos, the head of the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant, announced on Thursday that efforts are being intensified to restart operations by this Saturday, following a 48-hour maintenance period. This plant is the largest energy generator in Cuba. However, these statements, shared on Facebook by government-affiliated journalist José Miguel Solís, underscore the precarious state of a facility that is stretched to its limits after 37 years of continuous operation.
Campos elaborated that the maintenance, which is set to conclude within a 96-hour window ending this Saturday, has encountered unexpected challenges, such as excessive ash and severe fouling on thermal exchange surfaces. Despite these hurdles, he assured that specialized workers from the Electric Plants Maintenance Company, backed by a budget exceeding 15 million pesos, are racing against the clock to meet the deadline.
According to Campos, the completion of these tasks will enable the plant to exceed 250 megawatts of power output. Located in Matanzas, the Guiteras plant has burned through more than 9 million tons of domestic crude oil during its 37 years of service, far surpassing the original 30-year lifespan of its boiler. This accumulated wear makes each maintenance process a technical challenge requiring not only dedication but also resources that are often lacking.
Challenges and Concerns Beyond Optimism
The optimistic rhetoric of "intensifying efforts" highlights the technicians' and workers' adeptness at addressing urgent issues, but also reveals a lack of a clear strategy to ensure long-term stability. The Electric Union (UNE) reported last Tuesday that the Guiteras plant was disconnected for a planned four-day maintenance period, during which "essential work on the boiler" is being conducted.
Earlier this month, Cuba's largest and most critical power plant was grappling with severe operational issues, such as a gas leak that prevented it from reaching its full generation potential. As a result, the plant was only producing 175 megawatts (MW), necessitating the current shutdown.
However, taking the Guiteras offline has significantly exacerbated the power outage crisis, leading to electricity cuts that have lasted up to 20 hours daily in some provinces.