Two individuals were arrested and two others managed to escape following a attempted theft of dielectric oil at an electrical substation in Santiago de Cuba, amid a wave of thefts that has severely impacted the energy infrastructure of the province.
The that the events occurred during the night of September 2 at the Sevilla Substation, known as “La Redonda”.
According to the entity, local residents and members of the operational guard caught two individuals in the act as they attempted to extract oil from one of the transformers.
In the location, barrels and hoses were used that, according to the company, would be utilized to extract and store the liquid.
Two other individuals allegedly involved managed to escape. The Electric Company did not provide their identities or specify whether authorities are conducting an active search to locate them.
"It is not a minor issue," warned the entity, which reminded that the extraction of dielectric oil can take a transformer out of service and lead to further disruptions in the electricity supply.
This oil serves essential functions of insulation and cooling within transformers, so removing it can lead to failures and leave areas that depend on the equipment without electricity for extended periods.
The substation "La Redonda" had already been a victim of similar incidents in the past. Due to these prior events, the company stated that additional measures had been taken to reduce the risk of theft and protect the facility.
"However, these events demonstrate that prevention and vigilance must be maintained on a permanent basis," stated the entity, which expressed gratitude to the neighbors who sounded the alarm and to the operational guard for their actions.
The Electric Company stated that the incident will be treated as sabotage since it was directed against an installation of the electrical system and an essential resource for its operation.
This classification is supported by the , approved in May 2025, which establishes that the theft, damage, or alteration of components that affect the National Electric System and other critical infrastructures may constitute the crime of sabotage as defined in Article 125 of the Penal Code.
The new incident occurs just days after it was reported that Santiago de Cuba is among the five provinces with the highest incidence of dielectric oil thefts, alongside Matanzas, Ciego de Ávila, Mayabeque, and Artemisa.
According to figures released by the Prosecutor's Office, between 2025 and the first half of 2026, over 460 criminal investigations were initiated for offenses against the National Electric System. More than 300 reports specifically related to the theft of transformer oil.
Santiago de Cuba has reported several serious cases in recent months. On August 20, it was revealed that the theft of oil from a transformer left the Molecular Medicine center of the province without electricity.
Samples from a critically ill patient had to be transported to Granma for processing due to a power outage.
In another incident that occurred in May in El Cobre, a man was electrocuted while allegedly trying to steal oil from a transformer bank. Another person involved was arrested and charged with sabotage.
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