A blaze at a dump site near the Tunas 110 kV substation caused significant harm to underground cables, cutting off electricity to buildings in the Buena Vista neighborhood of Las Tunas.
The Las Tunas Electrical Company, via Periódico 26, reported that the fire impacted the TK1 circuit and assured that their team is actively seeking solutions to restore power.
According to the company, the incident at the dumpsite adjacent to the facility resulted in "severe damage to underground wiring," affecting customers linked to that circuit.
Technicians attempted to reroute the load to TK4 and TK5 circuits in the morning, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
"The load capacity of these circuits prevented the operation," the company stated.
As of their latest communication, employees were still "working towards a solution to restore electrical service to TK1 clients," without indicating how long the repairs might take.
The Electrical Company apologized for the inconvenience and urged "citizen responsibility to avoid similar incidents that severely impact the electrical system and daily life."
The statement did not clarify the cause of the fire or whether it was intentional or accidental.
Additional Strains on Las Tunas' Ailing Power Network
The incident adds yet another challenge to an already struggling electrical infrastructure, which has faced numerous thefts this year.
By May, the province recorded at least 11 thefts of dielectric oil and transformer components.
One of the most serious cases occurred in April when the theft of approximately 600 liters of dielectric oil in Amancio left 40% of the municipality's customers, roughly 4,947 users, without service.
Fires in trash accumulations also pose a threat to nearby infrastructure amidst Cuba's ongoing waste collection crisis.
In April, it was reported that residents in Havana set garbage piles ablaze to summon firefighters and secure water access.
This new outage comes as Cuba's power grid continues to grapple with high generation deficits and widespread blackouts across nearly the entire nation.
Addressing Electrical Infrastructure Challenges in Las Tunas
What caused the power outage in Las Tunas?
The outage was caused by a fire at a dumpsite near the Tunas 110 kV substation, which severely damaged underground cables.
How is the Las Tunas Electrical Company responding to the incident?
The company is actively working to find alternatives to restore power and has attempted to transfer the electrical load to other circuits, though further solutions are still being sought.
Are there other issues affecting the electrical network in Las Tunas?
Yes, the area has experienced numerous thefts of dielectric oil and transformer components, adding strain to the already fragile power infrastructure.