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The Electric Company of Sancti Spíritus blamed the local residents this Saturday for the increase in breakdowns of distribution transformers, which complicates the electrical service in the province, noting that the load spikes generated by reconnecting equipment after prolonged interruptions accelerate the deterioration of a network that is already at its limit.
In statements to the station Radio Sancti Spíritus, Odeivy Valdés Alba, the technical director of the company, acknowledged that the public's reaction is understandable, but warned that these peaks in demand cause failures in facilities that operate under critical conditions.
"We are doing everything possible to replace the damaged transformers as quickly as possible, but at certain times it is necessary to remove a transformer from another location that is providing service to install the one for the neighborhood," Valdés stated.
The official explained that in many cases replacing the same equipment is not enough: the overload persists and requires installing two transformers where there was previously one, in a process referred to as "division of secondary circuits," a solution that cannot always be implemented immediately and prolongs repairs for days.
The most serious impacts have been recorded in 19 kV transformers, with neighborhoods remaining without electricity for 15 to 20 consecutive days.
Valdés explicitly pointed to the residents of areas with stable service, such as Cabaiguán and the Perico area, where the electricity supply is not interrupted.
In places like Cabaiguán, the Perico area, and others where the electricity service does not go out, some uses of electricity that are not identified have migrated, because the electricity does not go out. These individuals need to understand that they are jeopardizing their own service, because if today I have residential service in my home and I add a cookie maker, I am overloading, he argued.
The technical director also warned about the circuits that receive electricity 24 hours a day, known as the "Hospital ring" or circuit 118, where the transformers are overloaded due to the intensive consumption of connected homes, and "the solution is not at hand."
The Electric Company of Holguín acknowledged days ago that every time a circuit is closed, between 10 and 20 transformers trip due to overload, and that receiving six replacement units from Havana is insufficient when there are 25 damaged.
In Guantánamo, the Electric Union acknowledged on June 7 that there was no physical availability of transformers to replace eight damaged units, while in Santiago de Cuba, crews removed transformers from entire neighborhoods, without providing a replacement date or any explanations to the residents.
Cuba has only three specialized workshops for transformer repairs across the country: one in Havana, another in Villa Clara, and one in Manzanillo, making each breakdown a slow process with uncertain outcomes.
This Sunday, the projected electrical deficit for peak hours amounts to 1,915 MW, with a mere availability of 1,215 MW against a demand of 3,100 MW, which means leaving more than 60% of the country without electricity simultaneously.
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