The Minister of Energy and Mines of Cuba, Vicente de la O Levy, stated this Wednesday on the Mesa Redonda of Cuban television that the United States has directly hindered the repairs of several thermal power plants in the country.
"We had to complete the repair of Céspedes Cuatro (a generation unit of a thermoelectric plant) because we were denied a software application from the United States to fine-tune the unit and start it up," he stated.
The minister blamed the U.S. embargo for the Cuban energy crisis. His statements highlight the fragility of the country's technological capabilities, as well as the dependence on international resources and services to sustain electricity generation in Cuba.
The official highlighted that in the case of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes thermoelectric plant in Cienfuegos, internal solutions were employed, involving several state entities.
"We had to work with the military industry, with the Ministry of Industry, with our colleagues from the Electronics Group, with our colleagues from the Electric Union, tackle that issue, and create a national solution. It took us time because these are complex technologies," he detailed, in a tone that emphasizes improvisation as the usual response to structural shortcomings.
The minister also spoke about the difficulties at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, one of the most important in the country. He indicated that, following the purchase in the United States of companies connected to its construction, new technical and logistical challenges have arisen.
Additionally, he denounced the withdrawal of foreign technical staff amid work at other plants, due to alleged pressures from the United States.
"Specialists already working in units like Felton [...] were called on the phone, packed their toolbags, gathered their things, and left," he recounted, highlighting the instability in international technical assistance.
These statements come in the context of prolonged blackouts across the country, which continue to severely impact the population and the economy. While the government insists on external factors, public discontent is growing due to the lack of sustainable solutions to the energy crisis.
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