The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant, located in Matanzas, will stay disconnected from Cuba's National Electric System (SEN) for at least another 24 hours. This comes as repair efforts continue following its unexpected shutdown last Sunday.
Román Pérez Castañeda, the plant's technical director, told the Girón newspaper that repair crews are currently working on several weld seams. This process does not have a fixed completion time, as any defects require redoing the welds. “It's not like replacing a valve where you know how long it will take,” he explained. “There are sections of the boiler that are hard to reach, making it uncomfortable for workers, but being less dirty, welding is easier. The current work area is more open but also more contaminated,” he stated.
In addition to welding, restoring the refractory work is necessary. This task requires approximately three more hours and is crucial to ensure the boiler's airtightness, which operates at nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. “Imagine the inside of the boiler as a fireball at 2,000 degrees. That heat cannot escape to the outside. The tubes are joined by a membrane that ensures the furnace's complete airtightness. However, in the repaired section, the tubes are apart, so achieving that airtightness is your responsibility,” described Pérez.
Pérez noted that this work involves a fire-resistant layer and an insulating layer, both essential for maintaining the system's safety and efficiency. Once these stages are complete, a hydraulic test, which takes about six hours, must be conducted. If everything goes according to plan, reconnecting the unit to the SEN could take an additional eight to twelve hours.
The stoppage has also been used to carry out other unplanned tasks, such as valve replacements. The Guiteras plant is the largest single-unit block in the country, with a generation capacity exceeding 200 megawatts, making its shutdown a significant loss for the national electrical system.
The plant experienced a major failure early last Sunday morning, and it was initially announced that it would remain offline for at least 72 hours. However, plant officials reported a hydraulic test was scheduled for Tuesday after identifying fractured pipes in one of the boiler's water walls, which caused the unit's outage.
All these "unexpected issues" arose shortly after the Guiteras entered planned maintenance, which was supposed to restore 40 megawatts to the "most efficient and stable" unit block of the SEN. Without Guiteras, the SEN is in a challenging and unstable situation. On Wednesday, the system remains in a critical state, with service disruptions throughout Tuesday extending into the early hours of today.
The maximum impact from the generation capacity deficit was recorded at 9:30 pm yesterday, with 1,866 MW offline, coinciding with peak demand. For Wednesday, without Guiteras coming online, an electrical deficit exceeding 1,900 MW is expected across Cuba.
FAQs About Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant Outage
What caused the Antonio Guiteras plant to shut down?
The plant experienced a significant breakdown due to fractured pipes in one of the boiler's water walls, which led to its unexpected shutdown.
How long will the repairs at Antonio Guiteras take?
Repairs are expected to take at least another 24 hours, though the timeline is uncertain due to the complexity of the welding and refractory work required.
What impact does the shutdown have on Cuba's electric system?
The shutdown of the Guiteras plant, which has a capacity of over 200 megawatts, significantly impacts the national electrical system, resulting in a deficit of over 1,900 MW.