The Unión Eléctrica (UNE) of Cuba released a disheartening report this Tuesday, warning of power outages that could reach a staggering 1,440 MW during peak hours. This figure is only slightly better than during the day, with expected disruptions around 950 MW.
The UNE admitted that yesterday, as has become routine, the electrical service was affected for 24 hours, with outages peaking at 1,356 MW at 9 PM. The availability of the National Electroenergetic System (SEN) at 7:00 AM today was 1,900 MW, while the demand was 2,790 MW, resulting in 825 MW affected due to a generation capacity deficit.
Currently, four thermoelectric units are out of service: units 6 and 8 of CTE Mariel, unit 2 of CTE Felton, and unit 5 of CTE Rente. Additionally, unit 5 of CTE Mariel, the Energas Varadero plant, units 1 and 3 of CTE Santa Cruz, and unit 1 of CTE Felton are undergoing maintenance.
The limitations in thermal generation amount to 375 MW. Fifty-one distributed generation plants are out of service due to fuel issues, affecting 392 MW. For the peak hours, it is expected that distributed generation motors currently offline due to fuel shortages will contribute 80 MW.
With this forecast, an availability of 1,980 MW is estimated for peak hours, with a maximum demand of 3,350 MW, leading to a deficit of 1,370 MW. Should these conditions persist, a 1,440 MW impact is predicted during this period.
In recent days, Miguel Díaz-Canel admitted on his new YouTube channel that there are no guarantees the summer months will be free of electrical disruptions. Díaz-Canel reiterated what the UNE announced days ago, that power outages will increase this month and next due to heightened maintenance work on thermoelectric plants, aiming to ensure service in July and August.
"We will have extended maintenance work until June to minimize the inconvenience of outages in the summer, especially in July and August," he noted.
When referring to the upcoming months, UNE director Alfredo López Valdés attempted to show optimism by stating, "We are aware that we are causing significant outages, but there is a trend towards improvement."
According to the director, no maintenance work is scheduled for any thermoelectric plants in July, which does not guarantee smooth operations. "We will have the usual system breakdowns and limitations," he said.
Díaz-Canel echoed this optimism, assuring that "all stations will be operational in July and August unless there is a breakdown."
Minutes later, López Valdés tempered his statements by saying, "We are not sitting idle; we are fighting, but we cannot commit to something today... Will there be no outages? No, we cannot commit."
The leader, for his part, supported his expert by stating that a zero-outage situation, under current conditions, is very difficult. "There could be an outage at a specific time; we will work to ensure they are not prolonged or of long duration," Díaz-Canel added.
Understanding Cuba's Power Outage Crisis
This section addresses key questions and answers regarding the power outage situation in Cuba, providing deeper insights into the causes and potential solutions.
What are the main reasons for the power outages in Cuba?
The main reasons for the power outages include deficits in generation capacity, maintenance work on thermoelectric plants, fuel shortages, and system breakdowns.
When are the power outages expected to improve?
Power outages are expected to improve by July and August, although there are no guarantees due to ongoing maintenance and the possibility of system breakdowns.
How is the Cuban government addressing the power outage crisis?
The Cuban government is addressing the crisis by conducting extensive maintenance on thermoelectric plants and attempting to bring offline distributed generation motors back into service.