The Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant Up and Running

The long awaited news has arrived: shortly after 3pm on September 27, and after more than two weeks of intense repair work, the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant was reconnected to the national electricity grid

Ventura de Jesús García Gutiérrez | [email protected]
September 28, 2017 14:09:06
Photo: Ventura de Jesús García

The long awaited news has arrived: shortly after 3pm on September 27, and after more than two weeks of intense repair works, the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant was reconnected to the national electricity grid.

Of course, the news was welcomed by workers and directors of the plant who have been working round the clock to get the facility back up and running following damage caused by Hurricane Irma.

We are very, very happy, we have fulfilled the heroic task we were assigned, stated Alejandro Ventosa, a founding member of the plant's workforce and decorated Labor Hero of the Republic of Cuba.

Meanwhile, Rubén Campos Olmo, director general of the facility praised the work of all who made this first phase of recovery efforts possible, with repairs completed to generator no. two, supplying 200 megawatts. He also went on to note that the other generator should be fixed in about six days, which should see the power supply to citizens stabilize. Everyone hopes that this stage will be as successful as the previous one, he noted.

In this regard, Campos Olmo stated that workers are currently cleaning all of the pipelines, channels and other spaces filled with debris, 14,000 cubic meters of which has been removed thus far. He also highlighted the importance of fitting temporary coverings to protect generators and other equipment from seawater damage.

Opened in March 1988, the Antonio Guiteras is one of the country’s main and most consistent suppliers of power to the national grid.