Granma Electric Company acknowledges the involvement of some employees in the theft of dielectric oil and components from the National Electric System

Workers who are supposed to protect the SEN are also stealing its resources in GranmaPhoto © La Demajagua

The Granma Electric Company acknowledged that workers from within the electrical sector are involved in the theft of dielectric oil and the removal of components from photovoltaic installations, during an expanded meeting convened to declare a zero tolerance policy against crimes affecting the National Electric Power System (SEN) in the province.

The meeting, chaired by the general director of the entity, Geider Mompié Rodríguez, and the director of Organization and Systems, Henry Silvera Cabrera, brought together all the business units and functional directorates of the company, as highlighted a report from the station Radio Bayamo on Thursday.

The statement was clear in indicating that the theft of dielectric oil and the removal of components at photovoltaic sites are the most serious incidents facing the sector in Granma.

The most revealing aspect was the admission that some of these crimes involve individuals from within. "It is painful and absolutely condemnable that, in some of these events, there has been a direct implication of workers from the very sector," emphasized the source.

The company announced that it is working in coordination with the attorney general's office, the courts, and the control and audit bodies to penalize those responsible, applying "the full severity of the law."

The internal debate focused on new preventive measures at the grassroots level, strengthening existing control mechanisms, and ensuring complete transparency in internal processes.

Granma has a long history of thefts related to the electrical system. At the beginning of this month,  two men were arrested after breaking into the Las Villegas Photovoltaic Park, located in La Nenita, in the municipality of Guisa, and stealing 20 metal beams from the support structure of the solar panels.

In April, the theft of dielectric oil in the community of Julia, in the municipality of Bayamo, left around 20,000 people without electricity for four days.

In September 2025, unofficial sources announced the capture of the thieves involved in the theft of more than fifty panels and beams from the Juan Pérez II Photovoltaic Park in Niquero,

The phenomenon is not limited to Granma. Days ago, authorities in the province of Mayabeque dismantled a gang of six individuals involved in the theft of dielectric oil in Güines and Melena del Sur, which operated with a high degree of planning and technical knowledge.

Additionally, the People's Municipal Court of Contramaestre sentenced a man to 12 years in prison for stealing 120 liters of dielectric oil, which left more than 2,000 people without electricity for 48 hours.

Dielectric oil is being resold on the black market as a lubricant or substitute fuel for agricultural machinery, with prices ranging from 500 to over 1,000 Cuban pesos per liter, making it a highly sought-after product amid the structural fuel shortages.

The current legal framework, the Opinion 475/2025 of the People's Supreme Court, categorizes these acts as sabotage, with penalties ranging from seven to 30 years, life imprisonment, or the death penalty in aggravated cases.

Nonetheless, the thefts continue. At the end of July, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, acknowledged before the National Assembly that oil theft occurs "daily" and that the volume stolen is "almost similar" to what Cuba produces in the same period, with communities experiencing up to 105 days without electricity due to transformer damage that cannot be repaired.

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CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.