HAVANA, November 23 (Héctor Maseda, Grupo Decoro / CubaNet) The
Cuban government has been warning citizens in the island’s four western
provinces to brace for increasing blackouts in the coming months due to damages
to the electric grid caused by hurricane Michelle.
Approximately half of the population will be affected by the announced 750
megawatt reduction, from the previous 1,950 megawatt peak-hour daily consumption
to 1,200. Permanent repairs to the grid will take from four to six months,
warned officials.
The announcement has been brought home to the population by the Committees
for the Defense of the Revolution at meetings held in every block and
neighborhood since November 15. Officials asked residents for understanding and
greater sacrifices.
Hurricane Michelle cut a swath from south to north at the island’s
midpoint, bringing down high-voltage transmission lines and towers and basically
splitting the island’s Unified Energy System.
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