The Cuban Electric Union (UNE) announced on Sunday that Block 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Thermoelectric Plant in Cienfuegos has been reconnected to the grid after resolving the issue that kept it offline. "Block 4 of the Cienfuegos Thermoelectric Company has fired up its boiler and will synchronize with the National Electric System (SEN) by midnight. We remain in the fight," the state-run company shared on social media.
The UNE's Sunday bulletin initially listed Block 4 among the faulty units. The issue seemed to last only the weekend, as the Friday, November 1st report did not mention this block as having any problems. Under the leadership of Alfredo López Valdés, the company failed to specify the nature of the malfunction, its causes, or the repairs undertaken.
As is customary with UNE updates, Cuba's power plants are often reported as experiencing breakdowns or undergoing maintenance without detailed explanations, leaving the public bewildered by the ever-changing figures and lack of transparency. On Sunday, the UNE also reported a significant generation shortfall, estimating a deficit exceeding 1,400 MW during peak night hours nationwide. The report highlighted 10 thermoelectric units out of service, including seven due to breakdowns (such as Cienfuegos' Unit 4) and three under maintenance.
Challenges in Cuba's Power Generation
Nationwide disconnections from the SEN from Friday, October 18, to Sunday, October 20, caused major damage to Unit 3 of the Cienfuegos plant, listed as undergoing maintenance in the Sunday report. Just days before the SEN's complete failure, on October 14, the Cienfuegos thermoelectric plant complicated the country's electricity generation by shutting down "scheduled" at 10 PM that Monday.
Back in late April, José Osvaldo González, the director of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes plant, explained on National Television that Unit 4 would be out of service for 35 days for maintenance. "At the beginning of the year, maintenance was planned for Block 4 to resolve boiler issues, particularly on the exchange surface, the superheater, and the reheater; however, this intervention was postponed to the second quarter due to the SEN's situation," the director stated back then.
Despite undergoing extensive maintenance for over a month, Block 4 of the Cienfuegos plant suffered further malfunctions. Nevertheless, the UNE celebrated its synchronization with the SEN on Sunday, following numerous operational stops and starts that have endlessly frustrated the Cuban population.