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Two robberies of dielectric oil from transformers, which occurred since early 2026 in the areas of Vila and Montoto, have resulted in over 1,000 liters stolen and have left nearly 200 customers without electricity in the municipality of Primero de Enero, in the province of Ciego de Ávila.
The first incident took place in Vila, where individuals extracted around 200 liters from a transformer, impacting nearby homes and a poultry-based Business Unit.
The second and most recent incident occurred in Montoto, bringing the total amount stolen to over 1,000 liters, reported the official newspaper Invasor.
Miguel Ángel Chamorro Pereira, head of operations at the Basic Electrical Organization (OBE) in the municipality, stated that the theft in Montoto "affected nearly 200 customers" and acknowledged that the shortage of transformers in Cuba hinders their quick replacement after each loss.
Both locations are situated within the production units of the municipality, and after the thefts, they experienced total blackout periods due to the limited availability of the liquid that prevents the equipment from overheating.
In an immediate response, the Electric Company of Primero de Enero reinforced security at the 33 kV substation in Montoto, which now has four permanent security guards.
Daimy Zamora Arteaga, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in the municipality, urged for increased vigilance in the neighborhoods where these transformers are located, essential for ensuring the electrical supply.
Authorities also emphasize the need to combat the receivers who fuel the illegal market for dielectric oil, which is resold as an alternative fuel for tractors and agricultural machinery at prices ranging from 600 to over 1,000 Cuban pesos per liter.
The phenomenon is not new in the province. In 2025, Ciego de Ávila recorded 41 similar thefts, affecting 84 transformers and over 14,440 liters stolen, and provincial courts have imposed sentences of up to 12 years in prison for electrical "sabotage."
Nationally, the problem has reached iconic locations. On June 25, thieves stole the transformer oil from the National Sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre in Santiago de Cuba, leaving the temple and its accommodations without electricity.
On May 9, a man died from electrocution while attempting to steal dielectric oil in the town of El Cobre.
The electrical context fueling this epidemic of thefts is devastating. This Saturday, Cuba reports a deficit of 2,165 MW during the night peak, with only 1,015 MW available against a demand of 3,150 MW, reported the General Director of Electricity at the Ministry of Energy and Mines.
Ruling 475/2025 from the Supreme People's Court categorizes these acts as sabotage, with penalties ranging from seven to 30 years in prison, life imprisonment, or the death penalty in the most serious cases.
Authorities warn that the effects of dielectric oil are harmful "even to the lives of offenders," and that both raising awareness of these risks and analyzing the underlying causes that drive the population to such crimes must be prioritized.
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