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, affecting both the local population and the economy.
Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the first secretary of the PCC in Santiago de Cuba, reported on Facebook that the incident occurred when the area's transformer suffered a serious failure due to the theft of this essential component for its operation.
The main leader of the province indicated that, in the early morning, around 2:30 a.m., a recirculating machine was delivered, something she considered crucial for the recovery of the transformer.
Additionally, he mentioned that the workers from the Electric Company have been working continuously to address this critical situation and restore electricity service in the affected community.
Johnson explained that dielectric oil plays a crucial role in transformers, as it serves as an insulator and helps to dissipate heat, preventing overheating and major failures.
He pointed out that the lack of this element reduces the efficiency of the transformer and exposes it to severe damage, which is why the theft not only endangers the electrical infrastructure but also the well-being of the residents in the area.
Finally, he emphasized that the competent authorities of the Ministry of the Interior have initiated an investigation into this crime and warned that there will be no impunity for those responsible.
The Electric Company of Santiago de Cuba informed on Facebook this Thursday that "several days ago, the transformer at the Dos Caminos Substation in San Luis experienced a failure, which resulted in the community residents being left without service."
Francisco Sanamé, Head of the Line and Substation Maintenance Brigade, indicated 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, for which all the tests were conducted: resistance, TPR, and insulation," which he deemed "essential for putting a transformer into operation."
Regarding the estimated time to put the transformer into operation, the specialist explained that "it largely depends on how it reacts."
Additionally, he justified the delays by stating that "some difficulties have arisen mainly due to the weather conditions affecting the temperature of the transformer."
However, several social media posts indicate that the power outage in Dos Caminos has been ongoing since last Friday, nearly a week ago.
María Mesa said on Facebook that a relative, who lives in that community, informed her that they have not had 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 at the Eléctrica Substation of Camino Viejo de Paquito Rosales, which impacts the Community Councils of Dos Caminos and Paquito Rosales.
According to Valier, "intensive efforts are being made for the colleagues at the Eléctrica de San Luis and Santiago de Cuba companies," in an attempt to restore an essential service that has been interrupted for days.
Last June, authorities from the Cuban Electric Union reported the increasing theft of transformer oil at the country's power substations as one of the factors that further complicates the energy situation in Cuba.
"When the oil is removed from the transformer, it can often damage the equipment because this oil is part of the transformer's insulation and leads to the final damage of the equipment," noted engineer Onasis Trujillo, Head of the Substations, Lines, and Networks Group at UNE, in statements to the Television News.
However, the theft of oil from electric transformers has become the perfect excuse for the regime to justify the extensive blackouts that the population endures daily.
Filed under: