Since March last year, the team at the Comandante Francisco “Paco” Cabrera Metal Structures Company (METUNAS) worked diligently and with great responsibility on a high-caliber project: the fabrication of the structures required for the complete rehabilitation of block two of the Lidio Ramón Pérez Thermoelectric Power Plant in Felton, in the eastern province of Holguín.

This generating unit collapsed due to a fire in the boiler on July 8, 2022, which caused considerable damage and rendered it completely inoperable. The National Electrical System suffered a significant loss.

Mechanical Engineer and Master of Science Julio César Tamayo Rodríguez, METUNAS Director General, describes the undertaking as “the most significant task ever undertaken by the team, due to the complexities of the manufacturing process and the importance and far-reaching nature of its objective.”

AWARD TO THE DELIVERY

The efforts of the managers and workers overcame various obstacles and, with the decisive support of the country's leadership, have borne fruit. “This month we finished manufacturing the main structure, giving the assembly sequence to the project at the thermoelectric plant and guaranteeing that the unit will continue its rehabilitation progress,” says Heiki Morales Pérez, Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Deputy Director of the company also known as the “Factory of Factories.”

“We also manufactured the platforms and railings that connect to this structure, and we did so with the quality required for these large and heavy beams, in whose manufacture we used very thick plates,” she explains.

Her statement is supported by the results of the evaluations carried out by experts from the Center for Metallurgical Research (CIME), belonging to the business group, who gave the final quality assessment, with investigations that included, among other analyses, ultrasound and X-ray tests.

THE MISSION…

The task was colossal and consisted of manufacturing 600 tons of structures. Metal beams and columns, assembled from plates, will support the dome and boiler of the destroyed generating unit, explains Tamayo Rodríguez.

“Before beginning the metal transformation, the steel underwent technical preparation with metallographic analysis to determine its chemical composition and mechanical properties according to the project's technical requirements.”

He points out that the manufacturing process involved structuring all phases of production efficiently to optimize resources, reduce costs, and guarantee the project's quality. Four teams were responsible for cutting, welding, assembling, and applying anti-corrosion treatment to the parts, tasks that ensure the quality of the finished product.

THE TECHNOLOGY

“In the fabrication of the structures, they used semi-automatic and automatic welding, which provides greater uniformity and quality to the weld beads, placing a greater demand on the skills of specialists, engineers, technicians, and workers,” comments Tamayo Rodríguez.

He emphasizes that X-ray and ultrasound tests were crucial in certifying the quality indicators “because they detect porosity, slag inclusions, cracks, and lack of fusion in the weld.”

Before starting production, specialists and engineers from Metunas and the Center for the Development of Agricultural Machinery (Cedema) digitized the designs submitted by the clients and prepared the blueprints for the technological process. The director emphasizes that each piece undergoes machining, cutting, and assembly processes, and that "we adapt them to our industry based on the projects."

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

"The work carried out replaced millions in imports, and we accumulated experience that puts us in a position to undertake projects of this magnitude for the Ministry of Energy and Mines at other thermoelectric plants in the country," Tamayo Rodríguez explains.

Meanwhile, Enrique Castellanos Trujillo, Master of Mechanical Engineering and Senior Specialist in Engineering Projects, who was in charge of the entire project management process, adds that to achieve this goal, they used modern equipment and demonstrated that METUNAS is also capable of manufacturing structures for road and railway bridges.

Those who brought this challenging project to fruition made a significant contribution to the Cuban State's efforts to overcome shortages and rise above the current crisis in the National Electrical System. From Metunas, they sent the hope of light to Felton.