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Measures to reduce electricity problems
A package of
measures is to be applied in Cuba with the aim of
reducing the power cuts being provoked by
difficulties within the national electric energy
system.
During the
third radio and television Roundtable program
yesterday on the subject, with the participation of
President Fidel Castro, various regulations were
detailed with the aim of reducing the effects on the
population as far as possible.
In early May
a serious fault developed in the Antonio Guiteras
thermoelectric plant in Matanzas province, east of
Havana, which led to that unit – which generates 15%
of the country’s electricity needs – being taken out
of the national system.
Vice
President Carlos Lage commented that Cuba managed to
overcome similar difficulties in this sector during
the 1990-1995 period.
He explained
that with the objective of causing minimizing the
effects on the people productive activities are to
be concentrated outside peak hours of demand.
Production
that can be can be recovered at another time is to
be halted, and other sectors to be replaced by
imports, despite the implication of higher costs for
the country.
The
commercial sector will operate no later than 7:00
p.m. apart from the gastronomy branch and internal
lighting in workplaces will be reduced. Lage also
assured that circuits than can be disconnected will
be increased in order to meet a program of power
cuts.
This October
there will be no return to normal hours (after
daylight saving time) in order to avoid the a raised
demand in peak hours, and in parallel with that
school and work hours will be cut by half an hour
for four months starting October 25.
He noted
that, despite the U.S. blockade of more than 40
years’ duration, electricity has been brought to
923,800 homes.
Moreover the
quantity of electrical appliances among the
population has likewise increased, as 6,153,000 have
been acquired in the same period.
Lage
emphasized that the island is continuing to support
the development of the tourism and nickel sectors,
among others.
He pointed
out that 95% of Cuba’s territory has access to
electrical energy, as opposed to the Latin American
region, with 86% and Africa with 34%.
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