The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant, Cuba's largest and most crucial power facility, continues to grapple with severe operational issues. A gas leak on Friday further hampered its ability to reach full generation capacity, as reported by the regime. Presently, the plant is producing only 175 megawatts (MW) out of its total capacity of 212 MW due to a gas leak in the boiler area, according to the state-run Cubadebate.
This malfunction affects one of the system's dead chambers and necessitates at least 72 hours for repairs, stated Rubén Campos Olmo, the plant's general director. "Once the opportunity arises, we will proceed to address the identified critical point and undertake other essential tasks within the next 72 hours," Campos Olmo remarked.
Ongoing Challenges Highlight System Vulnerabilities
The latest setback compounds the persistent challenges the plant has faced in recent weeks. Although the Antonio Guiteras plant managed to synchronize with the national electric system (SEN) earlier this week, its frequent outages underline the fragility of Cuba's electrical infrastructure, which remains unstable following recent widespread blackouts.
Operating for 36 years, the Guiteras plant has been vital for providing electricity to western Cuba but is currently functioning with limited capacity. Just a week ago, on October 18, the plant was the primary cause of a massive blackout impacting the entire island. While service was restored three days later, disruptions have persisted.
Nationwide Power Struggles
As of last Monday, seven of Cuba's thermoelectric units were offline: three due to breakdowns and four undergoing maintenance. This shortfall in the national electric system has led to power outages across various regions, particularly in the central-eastern areas, with some locations experiencing up to 20-hour blackouts.
In an effort to alleviate the impact of these failures, authorities have opted to segment the electrical system into independent subsystems by region. The Ministry of Energy and Mines claims this strategy will enhance load distribution and minimize blackout effects, especially in the provinces of Matanzas, Holguín, and Cienfuegos. Despite these efforts, full service restoration remains sluggish.
Official sources indicate that only 55.7% of the service has been recovered in Isla de la Juventud, 19% in Pinar del Río, with some circuits in Matanzas having restored power supply in the cities of Matanzas, Cárdenas, and Colón. As issues at the CTE Antonio Guiteras are addressed, Cubans continue to endure a chaotic power situation punctuated by prolonged outages.