A theft of 300 liters of dielectric oil left the community of Dos Caminos in the municipality of San Luis, Santiago de Cuba, without electricity, impacting both the residents and the local economy.
Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, first secretary of the PCC in Santiago de Cuba, announced on Facebook that the incident occurred when the area's transformer suffered a major breakdown due to the theft of this essential component for its operation.
The principal leader of the province indicated that, in the early morning, around 2:30 a.m., a recirculating machine was unloaded, which she considered crucial for the recovery of the transformer.
Additionally, she mentioned that the workers from the Electric Company have been continuously working to resolve this critical situation and restore electrical service in the affected community.
Johnson explained that dielectric oil plays a crucial role in transformers, as it acts as an insulator and helps dissipate heat, preventing overheating and major failures.
He pointed out that the absence of this component reduces the efficiency of the transformer and exposes it to serious damage, which is why the theft not only jeopardizes the electrical infrastructure but also the well-being of the residents in the area.
Finally, he emphasized that the relevant authorities of the Ministry of the Interior have launched an investigation into this crime and warned that there will be no impunity for those responsible.
The Electric Company of Santiago de Cuba announced on Facebook this Thursday that "a few days ago, the transformer at the Dos Caminos Substation in San Luis experienced a failure, which resulted in the residents of that community being left without service."
Francisco Sanamé, Head of the Lines and Substations Maintenance Brigade, stated that, from that moment on, "the necessary work was carried out to obtain another transformer."
He also emphasized that "currently, work is being done on its preparation process; all the tests have been conducted: resistance, TPR, and insulation," which he considered "essential for putting a transformer into operation."
Regarding the estimated time to activate the transformer, the specialist explained that "it largely depends on how it reacts."
Moreover, he justified the delays by stating that "some difficulties have arisen primarily due to the weather conditions affecting the temperature drop of the transformer."
However, several social media posts indicate that the electricity outage in Dos Caminos has lasted since last Friday, almost a week ago.
María Mesa said on Facebook that a relative, who lives in that community, informed her that they have been without electricity since Friday.
Last Friday, Yusmaikel Valier Ramírez, First Secretary of the Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba in San Luis, acknowledged in a Facebook post the ongoing issues with the electrical substation at Camino Viejo de Paquito Rosales, which impacts the Popular Councils of Dos Caminos and Paquito Rosales.
According to Valier, "intensive efforts are underway for the employees of the Electric Company of San Luis and Santiago de Cuba," in an attempt to restore an essential service that has been disrupted for several days.
In June, authorities from Cuba's Electric Union reported the increasing theft of transformer oil from the country's electrical substations as one of the factors further complicating the energy situation in Cuba.
"When the oil is removed from the transformer, it can often damage the equipment, as this oil is part of the transformer's insulation and leads to the final failure of the equipment," noted engineer Onasis Trujillo, Group Chief of Substations, Lines, and Networks at UNE, in statements to the Television News.
However, the theft of oil from electrical transformers has become the perfect excuse for the regime to justify the extensive blackouts that the population endures every day.
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