In this, the fourth visit of the country’s leadership to the province of Mayabeque – applying the method of touring the island, municipality by municipality, since 2024 began – the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, arrived on Tuesday morning at a place that directly affects the well-being of the people: the Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Thermoelectric Plant (CTE).

Accompanied by the member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organisation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Roberto Morales Ojeda, as well as authorities of the territory, the Head of State listened to a detailed explanation about the important universe that consists of three generating units, two of which are currently undergoing maintenance processes.

The automatic engineer Yasnel Torres Asencio, general director of the CTE, explained to everyone that at present only Unit Two is synchronised, which contributes 52 MW to the National Electro-energy System; while Block One – undergoing maintenance for 77 days and which previously contributed 55 MW – should exceed the figure of 90 MW when its restoration stage is completed.

When this block, and also Unit Three – currently under repair – are ready, the generation power for the summer stage could be between 195 and 200 MW of power, which is good news that engineer Yasnel Torres shared with the country’s management on Tuesday.

President Díaz-Canel told the workers that he was impressed by the level of knowledge of those responsible for the cleaning, repairs and necessary adjustments; he said that they have done everything «with a lot of inventiveness»; while stressing that everything that has been undertaken seeks higher levels of satisfaction among the people, to the extent that blackouts can be reduced; and that, he said, «gives a lot of confidence», because «we know that they are working hard».

The second point on the itinerary – following the route of the country’s electro-energy system – was the «Fraile Santa Cruz» Crude Oil Treatment Plant, belonging to Empresa de Perforación y Extracción de Petróleo Occidente.

Located in the heart of the northern Havana-Mayabeque-Matanzas strip, the plant was unable to meet its oil extraction plan last year, although it did exceed its gas targets. The first difficulty – as explained by the plant’s management – had to do with a lack of financing for the necessary chemical products, as well as the non-completion of two new wells.

When asked about the level of payment to the workers, Díaz-Canel Bermúdez was informed that the collective closed last year with profits, and that the universe of workers has stability at the foot of each strategic space. The 2024, the hosts explained, is showing plans for oil and gas extraction, which are being over-fulfilled.

There, the intervention of science has made it possible to increase production, to undertake rigorous exploration so that the oil and gas extraction processes do not become more expensive than necessary, or do not produce less juicy results.

Towards the end of the meeting, the president said that the world of oil «is a sector that needs to be strengthened», as it is one of the most important areas in the country, where there is a group of highly qualified professionals.

The third stop on the agenda was the «Alberto Fernández Valdés» Polyclinic, a centre that in the last two years has been improving all its health indicators and currently has figures of zero maternal mortality and zero infant mortality.

Even though the building needs a major refurbishment which has already begun, even though the construction conditions are not the best and there is a lack of doctors and nurses on staff, no services have been interrupted. The other thing that was reported to the country’s management is that, on the horizon of the Polyclinic, is the repair of the surgery room, because that has been one of the most recurrent demands of the population.

Regarding what is being done and what is in the pipeline, the Head of State asked: «Everything that is done, should be done well; it should be done with quality», because this is one of Cuba’s main challenges: not only to make dreams come true, but also to turn them into realities that are well implemented and therefore sustainable over time.

(Taken from the Presidency website)