Authorities in the province of Cienfuegos have called on residents to intensify energy-saving measures following several days of power outages lasting between 11 and 16 hours. Armando Carranza Valladares, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in the region, urged the public to strengthen the implementation of electricity conservation measures and expedite the repair of breakdowns to minimize the impact on households, as reported by the official newspaper 5 de Septiembre.
"We need every citizen to understand the importance of conserving energy during these critical times," the official stated during a press conference. He noted that the prolonged blackouts were due to unforeseen failures in several of the country's thermoelectric plants.
Yolexis Rodríguez Armada, the governor of the province, emphasized the importance of optimizing resources and assured that reducing energy demand could shorten the duration of blackouts. "If we work to decrease demand, we will also reduce blackout times," she highlighted.
On Thursday, the Cuban regime reported that the blackout situation was critical, as the Union Electrica (UNE) anticipated an impact of 1,305 MW of blackouts during peak hours—a record figure for the summer and nearly half of the national demand.
On Wednesday, the service was also affected by a generation capacity deficit for 24 hours. The maximum volume of nationwide blackouts was recorded on Wednesday at 8:50 p.m., reaching 1,186 MW, which was 36 MW higher than estimated.
Thirty-six distributed generation plants were out of service due to a lack of fuel, totaling 183 MW affected by this issue. By Friday, the situation had become alarming. The simultaneous outage of seven thermoelectric units due to "breakdowns" indicated that there would be blackouts amounting to approximately 1,245 MW during the day.
Understanding the Impact of Power Outages in Cienfuegos
In light of the severe power outages in Cienfuegos, it's crucial to address several key questions that residents might have. Below are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
What is causing the extended power outages in Cienfuegos?
The prolonged power outages are primarily due to unforeseen failures in several of the country's thermoelectric plants and a lack of fuel for distributed generation plants.
How can residents help reduce the duration of blackouts?
Residents can help by intensifying their energy-saving measures and reducing their overall energy demand, which can help shorten blackout periods.
What steps are the authorities taking to address the blackouts?
Authorities are urging the public to conserve energy and are working to expedite the repair of breakdowns in the thermoelectric plants to minimize the impact on households.
What is the Union Electrica (UNE) doing to manage the situation?
UNE is continuously assessing the situation and informing the public about the expected impact during peak hours, aiming to manage and mitigate the blackout crisis as effectively as possible.