The National Electric System (SEN) in Cuba showed signs of recovery on Tuesday, October 22, as citizens experienced a return to their usual "normalcy"—a power service characterized by planned outages due to insufficient supply. After enduring nearly four days of complete chaos when the SEN utterly collapsed, customers of the state-run company, still managed by Alfredo López Valdés, have been dealing with partial blackouts for four consecutive days.
Despite the fact that power shortages remain similar to the high levels reported before the massive national blackout, many Cubans now find these outages "tolerable." This is a stark contrast to the widespread fear that the SEN's collapse marked a permanent energy crisis on the Island.
Energy Deficit Continues to Challenge Cubans
By Saturday, forecasts indicated a peak demand of 2,980 MW against an available capacity of 2,080 MW, leaving a deficit of 900 MW. If conditions remain as expected, the anticipated impact is estimated at 970 MW during peak hours. On the previous day, the UNE confirmed that the maximum impact reached 1,007 MW at 7:40 PM.
The UNE reported ongoing technical issues: Unit 3 of the Santa Cruz Thermal Power Plant (CTE), Unit 3 of the Cienfuegos CTE, Unit 6 of the Rente CTE, and Unit 2 of the Felton CTE are currently out of service. Additionally, Unit 2 of the Santa Cruz CTE and Unit 5 of the Rente CTE are under maintenance, according to their social media updates.
Public Frustration Remains High
On Facebook, Cubans expressed their dissatisfaction with the poor service provided by the UNE. "We are continuity, normalizing the blackout to see how much Liborio can endure," remarked one user, skeptical of the SEN's supposed "improvement."
"This will never improve. The formal economy has collapsed, the infrastructure has collapsed, public services have collapsed. The collapse of the state is inevitable and rapidly accelerating. Only massive external intervention can revive the country. The electric system will collapse again. It's only a matter of time. Prepare yourselves," warned another.
With a hint of sarcasm, another Cuban concluded, "We return to 'normalcy': 1,000 MW daily deficit," highlighting the apathy that grips the populace amid an energy crisis for which they cannot hold the authorities accountable.