Western provinces in Cuba are set to remain without power following the impact of Hurricane Rafael late on Wednesday. Brief updates from the Havana Electric Company on its social media page indicated that the region must await an assessment of transmission lines before initiating the creation of microsystems.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Energy and Mines reported that restoring electricity in the area "will be a slow process." The agency explained that efforts are underway to establish electrical subsystems in the central and eastern parts of the island to restore the National Electric System (SEN).
Slow Recovery Process in Western Regions
In the western regions, this recovery process is expected to be more gradual due to the need for comprehensive checks of power lines and essential electrical installations. "This protocol requires time," the ministry warned through social media platform X.
According to the Electric Union (UNE), energy was successfully supplied to the Guiteras and Nuevitas thermoelectric plants in recent hours to initiate startup procedures. Additionally, over 10 emergent generation islands provide coverage in the central, eastern, and Pinar del Río regions.
Assessment and Recovery Efforts Underway
Specialists have begun assessments in western areas severely impacted by the intense Hurricane Rafael to diagnose damage and commence recovery efforts immediately, according to an official statement.
On Wednesday, at 2:48 pm, before Rafael made landfall in Cuba, the Electric Union announced that strong winds had caused the SEN to disconnect, prompting the implementation of "contingency protocols."
Earlier, the UNE advised that once hurricane winds reached 60 km/h, a "voluntary disconnection" of electrical circuits in affected areas would occur to prevent infrastructure damage and safeguard lives.