Cuba near completion of biggest diesel power plant

Cuba near completion of biggest diesel power plant



CUBA STANDARD — State utility Unión Eléctrica (UNE) completed a trial

run of the largest new fuel-oil power plant on the island, official

media reported.



The new facility, near the nickel mining town of Moa in eastern Holguín

province, consists of 10 generators providing a total of 184 megawatt,

according to official media. It is part of the 'Energy Revolution'

program, which has deployed dozens of fuel-oil generator clusters on the

island, replacing Soviet-era, boiler-technology thermal power plants.



The Moa plant will provide enough power for the nickel industry in the

area, as well as for the municipalities of Moa and Baracoa.



According to official media, the Moa plant cost 273 million pesos CUP

($10.3 million) to build, not including purchases abroad. The project is

managed by a team from UNE's nearby Felton power plant.



Cuban media did not provide more detail. According to a supplier, the

engines were made by at least two different manufacturers — five by

Germany's MAN Diesel & Turbo, and four by Swedish-Swiss company ABB; the

origin of the tenth generator could not be verified by Cuba Standard.



The trial run was with the first of the 10 generators.



On Feb. 6, Vice President Ramiro Valdés and Energy and Minister Alfredo

López toured the power plant, which is close to 90% completed.



Faced with an electricity crisis caused by aging thermoelectric plants,

an obsolete grid and hurricane damages, Cuba in 2006 decided to

decentralize part of its electric system by deploying hundreds of

fuel-oil generators that run 24 hours a day, and thousands of backup

generators that kick in during peak hours or emergencies. The

decentralized approach — which is part of a larger program dubbed

"Energy Revolution" — helped Cuba eliminate extended blackouts in a

matter of months, at a relatively low cost, and made the system more

resilient to hurricane damage.



Other projects underway near Moa include a new power substation that

will replace two old substations, as well as a 12-kilometer oil pipeline

and a 10-km water line for nickel plants.



State company Cubaníquel is planning to reduce production at the nearby

Ernesto Che Guevara nickel processing plant this year for improvements

aimed at lowering its nickel production price. World nickel prices have

been dropping continuously since 2012.



Source: Cuba near completion of biggest diesel power plant « Cuba

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