The Electrical Company of Havana announced this Friday the need to extend power outages to four hours daily in the capital due to a significant deficit in power generation within the National Electrical System (SEN).
According to an information note published on Facebook, customers associated with Blocks #3 and #4 of the city will face "emergency" power cuts of four hours daily, specifically between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.
This measure is a response to the severe energy crisis the country is facing, exacerbated by the recent shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant and the stoppage of five other blocks due to malfunctions, the entity specified.
The prolonged outages will continue in the coming days, impacting the daily lives of Havana residents, who typically are spared from service interruptions that are more frequent in other parts of the country.
The UNE had already announced a deficit of nearly 800 MW during peak hours for this Friday, with an impact of 350 MW during medium demand. On Thursday, the electrical service was interrupted from 7:13 pm to 1:19 am, with a maximum impact of 786 MW at 8:30 pm.
The situation has worsened due to the inoperability of six units at the thermoelectric plants in Santa Cruz, Guiteras, Felton, and Rente, as well as a lack of fuel that has rendered 51 distributed generation plants out of service, representing an additional 190 MW impact.
The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant, the largest in the country, experienced an "inconvenience" with its oil control, extending repair work to seven days instead of the initially planned 24 hours. This new setback comes just two months after its last synchronization with the system, further aggravating the energy crisis that Cuba is facing.
Understanding the Power Outages in Havana
Below are some frequently asked questions regarding the recent power outages in Havana and the overall energy crisis in Cuba.
Why are there extended power outages in Havana?
The extended power outages are due to a significant deficit in power generation within the National Electrical System (SEN), exacerbated by the shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant and other units due to malfunctions.
Which areas in Havana are most affected by the power cuts?
Customers associated with Blocks #3 and #4 will face the most significant impact, experiencing daily power cuts from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
What other factors are contributing to the energy crisis in Cuba?
The energy crisis is further worsened by the inoperability of units at multiple thermoelectric plants and a lack of fuel that has taken 51 distributed generation plants out of service.