The Antonio Guiteras Power Plant, located in Matanzas, was disconnected from the National Electric System (SEN) at 2:08 a.m. on Monday due to the unexpected closure of the fuel shutoff valve to the boiler.
Rubén Campos Olmo, director of the thermoelectric plant, stated that no operations were being conducted at the time of the failure, and the unit was in stable condition prior to the disconnection.
Quoted by the state journalist José Miguel Solís in a Facebook post, Campos Olmo stated that no damage has been detected at the plant and no incidents with workers have been reported.
However, it was emphasized that to restart operations, Guiteras requires external energy to power its ignition process, and the generation island that includes Energás Varadero is working to provide it.
Conflicting information about the causes of the disconnection and the reconnection times.
Despite the claim made by the director of the thermoelectric plant that it is impossible to estimate a timeline for reconnection, Solís noted that the malfunction could be resolved in "a short time" once the failure in the automatic fuel flow control system is identified.
At the same time, its publication indicated that there had been a "malfunction in the automatic fuel flow control system to the boiler," but did not specify whether this system was out of order.
Additionally, it was noted that Guiteras requires 10 MW of external power to begin its startup process, something that is expected to be achieved by late afternoon or evening.
For his part, the pro-government journalist Lázaro Manuel Alonso reported that at 10:20 AM, 220 MW had been supplied nationally through microgeneration systems and generators in various provinces.
Although it was stated that no damage was reported at Guiteras, Solís's information indicated failures in the automatic control system for the fuel flow to the boiler.
Alonso did not mention them in his social media post, but he emphasized that the reconnection of the system will be slow to prevent setbacks.
Priorities and challenges in the reinstatement of the SEN
In Matanzas, the local electrical microsystem has successfully powered critical points such as the Faustino Pérez hospital and water supply centers, according to Solís.
However, the priority across the country remains to stabilize the available thermal units, such as the power plants in Renté, Nuevitas, Mariel, and Felton, as well as the floating power stations in Havana.
While the technicians work to identify and correct the cause of the failure at Guiteras, the population is facing prolonged power outages. The Electric Union and local authorities have insisted that efforts are being made "without rest" to restore the energy supply.
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