Following a bleak Sunday in Cuba, where the electricity supply was disrupted for the entire day due to insufficient generation capacity, residents are bracing for another challenging Monday with ongoing power outages in a crisis that seems unending.
The Electric Union (UNE) reported that on Sunday, the peak disruption reached 1,348 MW, slightly less than the forecasted 1,421 MW, occurring at 6:30 pm. Power issues persisted throughout the night. At peak demand, 134 MW were affected due to damages caused by Hurricane Rafael to the electrical grids, specifically impacting Pinar del Río with 40 MW and Artemisa with 94 MW.
Monday's Widespread Power Challenges
For Monday, it is anticipated that the morning will see a generation shortfall of 478 MW, increasing to 750 MW by mid-afternoon, and peaking at 1,399 MW during the high-demand evening hours. Five units from the Mariel, Santa Cruz, Felton, and Renté thermoelectric plants are currently out of service due to breakdowns. Additionally, maintenance continues on four blocks at the Santa Cruz, Cienfuegos, and Renté facilities.
Fuel Shortages and Generation Limitations
Compounding the issue, 44 distributed generation centers, along with the Santiago de Cuba and Regla power barges and the Moa electric plant, are offline due to fuel shortages, resulting in 437 MW being affected. Furthermore, thermal generation limitations account for a deficit of 345 MW.
The persistent energy crisis highlights the broader challenges faced by Cuba under its socialist regime, which struggles to meet the infrastructure needs of its citizens amid ongoing economic difficulties.