Power cuts will go on until Friday

The “rotation” of power cuts which has effected nearly all of the gas and electricity company GESA's clients over the past two days, will now continue until Friday, according to GESA, which said yesterday that the fault which left over 400'000 without power for up to four hours last Thursday, will not be repaired until Friday. According to the deputy director general of GESA, Jaime Reguart, the main reason for the continual power cuts is that Thursday's fault is preventing the Es Murterar power station in Alcudia, from boosting power output. The lack of power in the supply network was also blamed for a power failure at the ageing San Juan de Dios power plant near Palma. Yesterday the sub-stations in Artá, Manacor, Bunyola, Marratxí, Llucmajor, Sa Pobla and Sa Vinyeta were shut down for a maximum of one hour at 5pm and then 10pm. Similar shut downs will continue around the islands until Friday when one of the two effected generators will be brought back into operation. At a press briefing yesterday evening, GESA called on the co-operation of consumers. Director of power generation, Juan Jaume, explained that over the past four years, electricity demand has increased by 40 per cent, for which reason, over the next five years GESA has to increase output. Two of the four gas turbines at Son Reus will come into operation at the start of next month, the remaining two will follow shortly as will a series of improvements between now and 2005 in order to guarantee a regular and reliable power supply. However, the process will be a costly one and Reguart said in order for the correct investment in Balearic power to be achieved, the government will have to help. The government in the meantime, is still awaiting a full explanation of what caused last Thursday's power failure while “age” is being blamed for yesterday's San Juan de Dios fault.