Santiago de Cuba is bracing for a difficult evening of extensive power outages this Wednesday. The local Power Company has announced that a significant shortfall in generation capacity will prevent adherence to the planned schedule of service interruptions.
The company disclosed on its Facebook page that during peak hours, the restoration of power in affected circuits might be delayed by up to an hour, depending on the extent of the disruption. Additionally, the start of outages could be moved forward by an hour for circuits nearing their scheduled interruption time.
Despite these adjustments, the statement warned that the anticipated impact during Wednesday's peak could reach 1,400 MW, suggesting that residents of Santiago might face longer blackouts than initially estimated. "This is due to high demand levels and a substantial deficit in generation capacity, causing the system to operate unstably," the announcement explained.
Worsening Energy Crisis in Cuba
The energy crisis in Cuba remains severe. Recently, two additional thermoelectric units were taken offline due to faults, while a third entered maintenance. According to the Electric Union (UNE) report for Wednesday, there are eight thermoelectric units currently out of operation: five due to breakdowns and three undergoing maintenance.
The forecasted power outages for this Wednesday stand at 1,400 MW, marking one of the highest levels since the recent collapse of the National Electric System (SEN). The situation in eastern Cuba has deteriorated further with the shutdown of the "Lidio Ramón Pérez" Thermoelectric Plant, commonly known as Felton, for "partial maintenance."
The plant announced on Facebook, "The ETE 'Lidio Ramón Pérez' Felton is beginning to reduce load for partial maintenance. The main work will focus on the boiler." However, no specifics were provided on how long the plant, located in Mayarí, Holguín Province, will remain offline from the SEN.