Authorities of the Electric Union of Cuba have denounced the increasing theft of transformer oil in the country's electrical substations as one of the factors that further complicates the energy situation in Cuba.
"When the oil is removed from the transformer, the equipment can often be damaged, because this oil is part of the transformer's insulation and causes the final damage to the equipment," pointed out engineer Onasis Trujillo, Head of the Substations, Lines, and Networks Group at UNE in statements to the Television News.
Today we do not have transformers, and many times we have to look for them wherever they exist in the country, in different provinces, and it takes days and days for the population to receive this service," the official added.
The engineer pointed out that the stolen oil is used as fuel in tractors and diesel-powered cars.
Sandy Chío Leal, technical director of the Mayabeque Electric Company, reiterated that "the country does not currently have the resources to replace them immediately" and that this implies that "the impact will persist over time while companies seek and manage the relocation and replacement of the equipment on site."
According to the data provided in the report, each ton of dielectric oil costs over 3,200 dollars.
However, in case of permanent damage to the 2500 KVA transformers, the value of those equipments is $50,000.
The television report emphasized the dangers that these thefts pose for the thieves themselves, due to the high voltage (34,500 V) of the electrical substations where they take place.
According to specialists, a simple contact with energized parts in the substation can lead to fatal consequences, so specialized personnel must work on them.
The aforementioned source did not provide figures on how many incidents of this type have been reported in Cuba, nor did it inform about the amount of losses due to this cause.
The report did indicate that Mayabeque, Matanzas, Granma, and Santiago are the provinces with the highest number of thefts of this type.
Faced with a type of crime that is on the rise, the UNE has strengthened protection and surveillance actions in electrical infrastructures.
In this regard, they mentioned the implementation of measures to reinforce drainage valve on transformers, as well as the relocation of equipment to prevent theft.
There is a group of people who have been prosecuted or are being prosecuted for the mentioned crimes and others are under investigation, although the source did not specify numbers.
Cuba is going through a severe energy crisis that results in long and constant power outages, which remain as one of the underlying causes of a possible social upheaval like the one on July 11, 2021.
This Saturday, the Cuban Electric Union reported that on June 14th power outages of around 968 MW were reported in Cuba.
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