The Unión Eléctrica (UNE) of Cuba has announced that power outages are expected both day and night this Sunday, due to a deficit of nearly 1,000 MW, which is slightly less than the figures recorded on Saturday. The forecast indicates a maximum impact of 900 MW during the day and 985 MW during peak hours.
As of 7:00 am, the availability of the National Electric Power System (SEN) was 2,200 MW, while the demand reached 2,670 MW, resulting in a generation capacity deficit of 540 MW. During peak hours, availability is expected to be 2,440 MW with a maximum demand of 3,350 MW, leading to a 910 MW deficit.
According to the UNE report, Saturday's situation was even worse than what is forecast for Sunday. The previous day saw continuous service disruptions for 24 hours, with a maximum recorded value of 1,045 MW at 8:50 pm, which was lower than predicted.
Currently, three units at the Nuevitas, Felton, and Renté thermoelectric plants are out of service due to breakdowns. Additionally, three blocks at the CTE Santa Cruz and Felton plants are under maintenance. Furthermore, 48 distributed generation plants are halted due to a lack of fuel, and there are limitations in thermal generation amounting to 378 MW.
On Friday, Alfredo López Valdés, the general director of UNE, announced "emergency actions" in several thermoelectric units that had experienced breakdowns. The official attributed the severe outages to the poor condition of the thermoelectric plants, high temperatures, and increased residential demand due to the acquisition of many air conditioning units and electric motorcycles.
The ongoing energy crisis has left the population in a constant state of distress, with power cuts exceeding 14 hours in some areas. Miguel Díaz-Canel had to acknowledge that the recent power outages have been "terrible," in a supposed gesture of empathy.
"The power outages have been terrible, lasting up to 20 hours, but this will be resolved. Plants are under maintenance, and this has been the strategy to prevent disruptions during the summer," he said. The president explained that the breakdown of several plants coincided with the maintenance of others just before summer, and that this needs to be "explained to the people" so they "understand that there is an uncomfortable but temporary situation."
Understanding Cuba's Power Outages
To provide further insight into the current power outage situation in Cuba, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
What is causing the power outages in Cuba?
The power outages are caused by a combination of factors, including the poor condition of thermoelectric plants, high temperatures, and an increase in residential demand.
How long are the power outages expected to last?
Power outages have been reported to last up to 20 hours in some areas. The government has assured that this is a temporary situation due to maintenance work.
What measures is the government taking to address the power outages?
The government is undertaking "emergency actions" in various thermoelectric units and has put some plants under maintenance to avoid disruptions during the summer.