Santiago de Cuba: Electric Company Reinforces Measures to Mitigate Potential Damage

Faced with the imminent threat of Hurricane Melissa, preventive measures are being implemented in Santiago de Cuba to protect electrical infrastructure, with special attention given to photovoltaic solar parks, which are essential to the Caribbean nation's strategy for sustainable electricity generation.

Javier Calero Román, General Director of the Provincial Electric Company, reported that efforts have focused on protecting solar panels in both operational and under-construction parks.

“We are securing their anchoring and the stability of the support structures to prevent displacement by wind. We have also installed protective straps and hurricane reinforcements,” he stated.

At the Las Guásimas photovoltaic solar park in the municipality of Contramaestre, more than 400 straps have been placed over 100 pilings to strengthen the panels' resistance to wind gusts. The work also includes protecting water tanks and guard posts, he noted.

“We are ensuring that all infrastructure is properly reinforced and prepared to withstand potential severe weather conditions,” the official added.

Work is also underway at the San Luis park, which is still under construction. With over a thousand solar tables already installed, preventive actions include placing more than 10,000 fastening screws between the tables and pillars, in addition to installing foundations and buttresses designed to withstand hurricanes, Calero Román detailed.

In a context where thermal generation using fossil fuels faces severe limitations due to factors such as aging plants and resource scarcity—primarily resulting from the U.S. economic, commercial, and financial blockade against the Island—these parks represent a sustainable alternative to advance toward stabilizing Cuba's electricity supply.

Reinforcing electrical grids has also been a priority in the province. In recent days, pruning has been carried out in high-risk areas to prevent fallen trees from damaging poles and electrical cables.

Calero Román urged the public to take precautions if they encounter fallen cables, warning that they could be energized and pose a danger. He emphasized the importance of monitoring downed transformers to prevent the theft of materials, which could hinder repair efforts.

The director of the Electric Company in Santiago de Cuba highlighted the coordinated work among different actors in the sector, which has enabled the implementation of these measures in record time.