Energy and Mines Minister Livan Arronte and executives of the state-run energy company Union Electrica (UNE) explained details of the causes of the low availability of the power service, which affect both the population and the national economy.

The operation reserves of the electricity system are insufficient to cover the demand, which makes unavoidable the affectation to the service, that is to say, the annoying blackouts.

According to the minister, the current difficulties have to do with the instability in the power generation plants that operate inefficiently due to the lack of maintenance, limitations and instability with fuels, mainly diesel.

The increase in demand due to the increase in temperature during the summer is added to those difficulties.

Arronte pointed out that sustaining the electricity system is costly.

On the Mesa Redonda (Round Table) radio and TV program, those inconveniences were explained and the answers take time, material resources, financing, and inputs for the domestic production of parts and pieces, many of which are already imported.

Edier Guzman, director of Thermal Generation at UNE, said that a fire in unit two of the Lidio Ramon Perez Thermoelectric Power Plant in Felton, eastern Holguin province, was added to those factors.

pgh/iff/acl/crc