Africa-Press – Cape verde. EPEC management clarified today that the recent power outages in Santiago, especially in Praia, were the result of damage to the Palmarejo Power Plant, but assured that the situation has now been resolved and the supply has returned to normal.
At a press conference, the executive director of the Electricity Production Company (EPEC), engineer Sama António Cruz, explained that two critical failures in the high-power generator sets, Wärtsilä 5 and 6, compromised the production capacity of the Palmarejo Plant, forcing the company to operate at reduced capacity for several days.
According to the engineer, both groups failed almost simultaneously due to mechanical problems, including damage to the refrigeration systems and loss of pressure in essential components, which required an immediate shutdown to avoid further damage.
“These units represent approximately 50% of the Palmarejo Plant’s installed capacity. Their unavailability caused an imbalance in the system, and we had to resort to rotating and controlled outages to maintain the minimum supply,” explained Sama Antonio Cruz.
The power cuts, according to those responsible, were a necessary containment measure to avoid a total collapse of the system, having affected several areas of the island, with a greater incidence in the capital.
“We are aware of the impact this situation has had on our customers. The cuts were made on a rotating basis, prioritizing critical areas such as hospitals, health centers, and water supply systems,” the director reinforced.
Among the most affected areas are neighborhoods in the city of Praia such as Tira Chapéu, Achada Mato, Ponta d’Água, Achada Grande, Eugénio Lima, as well as locations in the interior of the island such as São Domingos, Assomada and Calheta de São Miguel.
EPEC reported that, in addition to the emergency repairs carried out, it is reinforcing preventive maintenance at the plants, focusing on the acquisition of critical spare parts and developing projects to strengthen the national electricity system, including the integration of renewable energy and storage systems.
The engineer assured that the work is progressing and asked for understanding and collaboration from customers, emphasizing that the company is adopting a technical plan to ensure greater resilience and stability in the electricity supply, especially during periods of peak consumption.
The same source explained that the power cuts were the last available alternative to avoid a total collapse of the electrical system.
He added that the shutdown was initiated in areas with the highest rate of illegal connections, which overload the network and compromise the stability of the supply.
He also highlighted that, although the supply is already being progressively restored, the system continues to operate with caution, until production capacity is fully recovered.
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