Lázaro Guerra Hernández, the head of Electricity at Cuba's Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM), made an urgent appearance on Cuban television to discuss the present situation regarding the collapse of the National Electric System (SEN). He announced that, as of now, there is "no set timeline" for the full restoration of power.
Guerra Hernández stated that "investigations are underway" to uncover the reasons why the Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant went offline shortly after 11 a.m., causing a widespread blackout. He mentioned that each thermoelectric unit is currently being inspected for gradual recovery.
The restoration process has begun, starting with the Energás Puerto Escondido plant, which is already generating electricity. The aim is to also connect the Boca de Jaruco plant. "To synchronize each unit, microsystems - or islands - are being created with distributed generation groups from various regions to supply power to the thermoelectric plants," he elaborated in a statement echoed by journalist Lázaro Manuel Alonso on Facebook.
The MINEM official emphasized that "priority is given to power generators near the thermal blocks." Meanwhile, Cuba Petróleo (CUPET) is distributing the necessary fuel to ensure power generation.
Although there is no definitive timeline for complete restoration, efforts are being made to reconnect the electrical system as quickly as possible, Guerra Hernández concluded in his remarks during the midday broadcast of the National Television News (NTV).