ACN

After hurricane Ike left Cuba under a total blackout, the electrical system is being gradually re-established on the island as the weather conditions improve.

National Electricity Union official Ricardo Gonzalez explained that except for the eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Granma, and part of Guantanamo, electric services have been gradually restored in the municipalities of the rest of the country, reported the Granma newspaper.

With the use of power generators for emergency situations, and the creation of electrical micro-systems relying on gas and diesel generators, service has been restored in several local circuits. Gonzalez noted that these are temporary alternatives until repairs to the national electric system are completed.

Seventy micro-systems were set up across the country, twenty-two of them in Pinar del R�o Province and four on the Isla de La Juventud. Both of these areas were severely damaged just 10 days ago by Hurricane Gustav, explained Gonzalez. He noted that the 200 electric crews that had been sent from the eastern region to Pinar and Isla de la Juventud after the passing of Gustav will remain there, while repair work in the east will be undertaken by the remaining forces in each affected province.

END

The original title is Power Service Gradually Restored Across Cuba. I think I like my title better. The propaganda machine is just about the only thing running in Cuba.

See those trucks in the photo? That’s the photo that accompanied this article. Quite the fleet of repair trucks right? and I’m sure that photo was taken long before hurricane Gustav or Ike came around. That’s a complete photo op photo especially with the nice new construction in the background.

Good luck Raul. You’re going to need it. I don’t think you or even Fidel can spin Cuba out of this one.