Livan Arronte

Havana, Sept 16 (RHC) Energy and Mines Minister Liván Arronte, explaining the effects on the national electric power system, said that financial limitations due to the intensification of the U.S. blockade and the Covid-19 pandemic are influencing the reduction of electricity generation in Cuba.

During his intervention in the radio and television program Mesa Redonda, he pointed out that for these reasons the country is facing serious obstacles to acquire materials, supplies and spare parts for the generating units, with a decrease in their technical availability.

Such conditions also caused the non-compliance of plant maintenance and the termination of important investments, detailed Arronte.

He recalled that today the island has eight thermoelectric power plants with a total of 20 blocks in operation, which constitute an important part of the base generation of the electric system, which currently has between 30 and 35 years of operation.

Arronte pointed out that in order to face any contingency and have a stable and safe generation, a reserve power is required, which in the case of Cuba is sometimes very difficult to achieve due to the impossibility of having the necessary financing.

Added to this is the refusal of many suppliers, pressured by the U.S. blockade and the Helms Burton Act.

At present, the operating reserves to cover the demand of the electric system are low and on occasions are below what is required by consumers, which is why it is inevitable that the service will be affected by the undesired blackouts, he indicated.

The Minister of Energy and Mines assured that the generation of electricity is a priority in the country and that is where part of the scarce financial resources available are destined, in the midst of many needs to acquire fuels.

The amount to buy all the necessary for the generation of one month can be in the order of 150 and 200 million dollars, although a part is produced in the country; however, the other part, destined to diesel and fuel engines, is acquired abroad together with the refined one, he commented.

In the midst of all the situation that the country is going through, in which medicines and food have to be bought, there is also fuel and generation, which have an important impact on the economy. From the scarce resources available, money is also put to generation', he pointed out. (Source: Prensa Latina)