Nothing new on the front: Cuba woke up this Friday to the same grim news from the Unión Eléctrica (UNE), announcing 24-hour power outages due to a significant generation capacity deficit, possibly one of the highest since the state-run company began displaying a semblance of transparency on its social media channels.
"For peak hours, we estimate 2,150 MW of available capacity and a maximum demand of 3,380 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,230 MW. If the current conditions persist, we predict an impact of 1,300 MW during this period," stated the company led by Alfredo López Valdés.
Take note: in its Thursday report, the UNE forecasted disruptions around 981 MW. However, this Friday, they admitted that their predictions fell short of reality, acknowledging that the disruptions reached "1,309 MW at 8:50 PM, coinciding with peak hours."
If the same margin of error from the previous day repeats itself (which left the forecast 26% below actual disruptions, according to UNE data), Cubans could see the predicted deficit increase by over 300 MW this Friday, potentially raising the prediction to 1,600 MW, a significant level of blackout, as the "officials" of the "continuity" would say.
In addition to this grim news, Cubans are still waiting to find out what happened with Unit 6 of the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant, which disconnected from the national electro-energy system (SEN) less than 24 hours after its synchronization.
The information was withheld from the public after a detailed report by Bernardo Espinosa for Televisión Cubana on Monday praised the successes of a technical maintenance shutdown, which kept the unit out of service for 77 days. Since then, the UNE and the official press have not provided explanations for the breakdown in Nuevitas or forecasts for repair and reconnection to the SEN.
With record high temperatures for the season and 18-hour daily blackouts, Cubans are beginning to express their discontent publicly through spontaneous protests, like the one that occurred this Thursday in Baracoa, where a crowd of residents took to the streets shouting, "We want electricity!"
As things stand, this Thursday, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, confirmed that the government expects maintenance on the country's thermoelectric units to continue until June 30, after which, in theory, the power outages in Cuba should decrease.
Understanding Cuba's Power Outage Crisis
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to help readers understand the ongoing power outage crisis in Cuba.
Why are there increasing power outages in Cuba?
Cuba is experiencing increasing power outages due to a significant deficit in generation capacity, which has reached over 1,300 MW. The state-run Unión Eléctrica (UNE) has been unable to meet the demand, leading to 24-hour power cuts.
What happened to the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant?
Unit 6 of the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant disconnected from the national electro-energy system less than 24 hours after its synchronization. The UNE and official press have not provided explanations or repair forecasts.
When will the power outages in Cuba decrease?
According to the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, the government expects maintenance on the thermoelectric units to continue until June 30. After this date, the power outages in Cuba are theoretically expected to decrease.