The Cuban Electric Company (UNE) has issued a report regarding the National Electric System (SEN) for October 11, 2024, warning of power outages exceeding 1,200 MW due to insufficient generation capacity. Despite this bleak scenario, the frustration among Cubans is centered on another issue. One Facebook user commented on the UNE's announcement: "What's really interesting is that our electricity bills don't decrease; instead, they seem to rise, and payments are always on time as if nothing's wrong."
Despite enduring daily extended power cuts, the cost of electricity remains unchanged, highlighting a contradiction where service disruptions do not lead to reduced consumer costs.
Thursday's Power Blackouts in Cuba
On the previous day, Cubans faced non-stop power outages for 24 hours due to a shortage in generation capacity, continuing into the early hours of Friday. The UNE reported that the peak impact of this shortfall reached 1,153 MW at 7:50 PM, coinciding with the peak electricity consumption period.
This morning at 7:00 AM, the SEN had an availability of 1,910 MW, while demand had already reached 2,520 MW, resulting in a 713 MW deficit. Projections indicate that the impact could grow to 900 MW by midday.
Thermal Power Plants Struggling with Outages
The situation is exacerbated by the shutdown of several key generation units. The unit 8 of the Mariel Thermal Power Plant (CTE) and unit 2 of the Felton CTE are both out due to breakdowns. Additionally, unit 2 of the Santa Cruz CTE and unit 5 of the Renté CTE are undergoing maintenance, limiting thermal generation capabilities to 604 MW.
Distributed generation is also facing significant issues, with 43 plants offline due to fuel shortages, including the engines on the Melones Barge and unit 6 of the Nuevitas CTE, totaling 550 MW out of operation.
To alleviate the strain, the UNE plans to activate the Melones Barge engines with 165 MW and recover 100 MW in other distributed generation centers. However, these efforts fall short of bridging the gap. By peak hours today, availability is expected to be 2,175 MW against a demand of 3,350 MW, leaving a 1,175 MW shortfall. Should these conditions persist, the UNE forecasts a 1,245 MW impact during peak hours.
Once again, Cubans must brace themselves for prolonged periods without electricity in a situation that seems to have no immediate resolution in sight.