The Cuban Electric Union (UNE) has reported that power outages are expected this Saturday due to a significant shortfall in electricity generation capacity, amounting to 1,485 MW during peak demand hours. According to their daily update shared on Facebook, the power supply was disrupted starting at 4:38 a.m. on Friday. The maximum impact reached 1,469 MW by 6:10 p.m., coinciding with the peak usage period, and surpassing expert forecasts which had predicted a 1,420 MW deficit.
Although the power was restored at 1:36 a.m. on Saturday, the outages resumed less than four hours later at 5:17 a.m. Additionally, 39 MW were unavailable during peak demand due to electrical network damages caused by Hurricane Rafael in Artemisa province. This figure remains unchanged at the time of this report.
As of 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, there was a 548 MW deficit, with expectations that this number could rise to 950 MW by midday. The situation is exacerbated by five units from three thermoelectric plants being offline due to malfunctions, while another four units are undergoing maintenance.
Furthermore, 44 distributed generation plants, along with the power barge in Santiago de Cuba and four engines on the Melones barge, are inactive due to fuel shortages, resulting in an additional 383 MW being unavailable. Additionally, thermal generation limitations account for 270 MW.
These power shortages highlight the ongoing energy crisis in Cuba, largely attributed to the inefficiencies and mismanagement under the communist regime, leaving the nation struggling to meet its electricity needs.