Fire at Jicotea substation leaves Ranchuelo, Cuba without power for days
Aug 2026Published 7 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Jicotea electrical substation, Ranchuelo, Villa Clara province, Cuba
- Operator
- Electric Union of Villa Clara
- What
- Fire at 4kV substation affecting circuits 54 and 94
- Outcome
- Power outage in Jicotea lasting at least five days
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Electric Union of Villa Clara
What happened
A fire broke out at the Jicotea electrical substation in the municipality of Ranchuelo, Villa Clara province, Cuba, affecting circuits 54 and 94 and requiring a pole change. The Electric Union of Villa Clara confirmed the fire caused a malfunction at the 4kV substation, leaving almost the entire town of Jicotea without power. Five days after the fire, the circuits remained affected, with the utility stating that multiple damages to the substation and power lines were being repaired progressively. Residents reported the substation, in service since 1965, had experienced recurring faults prior to the fire, requiring repeated repairs due to high demand.
Contributing factors
Local residents reported the substation equipment dated from 1965 and had a history of shutdowns and faults prior to the fire, attributed to high electrical demand. The Electric Union separately acknowledged nationally that there is a shortage of replacement transformers across Cuba, with only three repair workshops in the country.
Lessons learned
- A substation in service since 1965 with recurring faults from high demand needs early replacement of aged switchgear and transformers.
- Shortage of replacement transformers across the grid delays repair of substation damage and extends outages.
More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, maintenance, inspection and ageing assets, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Cause of the fire
- Cost of repairs and lost supply
- Exact duration of full restoration
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Published 2026-09-07. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
