The Unión Eléctrica (UNE) of Cuba forecasts power outages for this Friday, with an expected impact of 300 MW at midday and 715 MW during peak hours. On Thursday, service was disrupted due to a generation capacity deficit from 11:22 am to 12:00 pm, and again from 4:12 pm throughout the early hours of Friday. The maximum disruption reached 689 MW at 8:20 pm.
According to the report shared on Facebook, three units from the Rente, Santa Cruz, and Felton thermoelectric plants are out of service due to malfunctions. Additionally, 43 distributed generation plants are offline due to a lack of fuel, affecting 281 MW, and there are thermal generation limitations amounting to 447 MW.
This week, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de La O Levy, acknowledged that the government's strategy to prevent blackouts in the summer has failed. According to the minister, planned maintenance was carried out during the first half of the year, which was supposed to result in outages of about four hours from January to June 30.
"What we failed to meet was the planned outage hours. What happened? Along with the scheduled maintenance load, there were significant disruptions this semester due to fuel issues," said De la O Levy on the Mesa Redonda TV program. "There were significant disruptions related to fuel, especially in March, May, and some days in June," added the official, admitting that outages lasted "up to 12 hours in some areas."
Understanding Cuba's Power Outage Crisis
In light of the recent power outages in Cuba, here are some frequently asked questions to help you better understand the situation.
Why is Cuba experiencing power outages?
Cuba is experiencing power outages due to a combination of generation capacity deficits, fuel shortages, and malfunctions at key thermoelectric plants.
What are the peak hours for power outages?
The peak hours for power outages in Cuba are typically in the evening, around 8:20 pm, as seen in recent disruptions.
How long can power outages last?
Power outages in Cuba have been reported to last up to 12 hours in some areas, although planned outages were initially expected to be around four hours.
What is the government doing to address the issue?
The government conducted planned maintenance in the first half of the year but has struggled with fuel shortages and unexpected malfunctions, leading to prolonged outages.