Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant will stop for more than two weeks in March

The Cuban Electrical Union (UNE) announced that theThermoelectric Antonio Guiteras, the largest in the country,will stop for more than two weeks in March.

On Thursday, February 29, at dawn, the Matanzas plant will go out of service in a controlled manner to carry out "undelayable" maintenance.

According to the UNE, it is estimated thatIn 17 days it can once again join the National Electrical System (ITS).

"For these purposes, a detailed preparation of the work to be undertaken was carried out to achieve efficiency and quality in the final result. The departure date was determined based on the fact that there will be fuel in the floating lakes, the Mariel site and the of Moa starting today [Wednesday], which will incorporate a higher power than the Guiteras currently has," details the note published inFacebook.

During those more than two weeks in which the thermoelectric plant will be disconnected from the SEN, the impact on peak demand times is forecast to be between 950 MW and 1000 MW, said the UNE, which promised that it will continue to inform the population. .

The announcement comes just 24 hours after theGuiteras will come into operation after a stoppage of several days for maintenance.

The UNE announced on January 24 that the plantwould leave the system "to clean the regenerative air heaters and resolve minor defects for a period of 72 hours.

The company has been reporting a generation capacity deficit close to or greater than 1,000 MW for several weeks now, which translatesin blackouts of more than 14 hours.

Next Friday, March 1st, the new fuel prices and thenew electricity rate for high consumers.

The head of Energy and Mines, Vicente La O Levy, said this Wednesday that "what we have proposed to increase 25% of the electricity rate for those consumers who are above 500 kWh is very far from the average consumption of the country ".

"This measure is not to raise money, nor does it eliminate subsidies," said the leader, before ensuring that the measure seeks to encourage savings. "The price has to be a regulator of the market," he stressed.