The energy crisis in Cuba continues to leave its citizens grappling with daily, prolonged blackouts. On Saturday, power outages exceeded forecasts, reaching a staggering 1,550 megawatts (MW). The state of the national electric grid remains bleak, with nine thermoelectric units offline, a frequent occurrence under the country's so-called "continuity" period.
In light of these challenges, the Cuban Electric Union (UNE) announced that for peak hours on Sunday, the available power is estimated at 1,840 MW against a maximum demand of 2,980 MW, predicting a deficit of 1,140 MW. Consequently, a blackout impact of about 1,230 MW is expected if current conditions persist.
Despite efforts by the director of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant in Matanzas, who stated on Thursday that workers were intensifying their efforts to restart operations by Saturday, the largest plant in the country failed to synchronize with the national grid. The UNE, however, assured on social media that the synchronization would occur on Sunday.
Having operated continuously for 37 years, the Guiteras plant halted operations last Tuesday for repairs, aggravating the country's energy crisis. Director Rubén Campos Olmos explained that the maintenance, initially scheduled to finish within 96 hours, faced unexpected challenges such as excessive ash and severe fouling of heat exchange surfaces.
Despite these setbacks, specialized workers from the Electric Power Plant Maintenance Company, supported by a budget exceeding 15 million pesos, worked tirelessly to meet the deadline. However, they failed to do so, shifting the target to the peak hours on Sunday.
In addition to the Guiteras plant, other units experiencing "breakdowns" include Unit 5 of the Mariel plant, Unit 5 of the Nuevitas plant, Unit 2 of the Felton plant, and Unit 3 of the Antonio Maceo plant. Meanwhile, Unit 2 of the Santa Cruz plant, Units 3 and 4 of the Cienfuegos plant, and Unit 5 of the Renté plant are undergoing maintenance.
The frustration of Cubans with the ongoing energy crisis was aptly captured by a comment from a user on the UNE's Facebook page: "If we could generate electricity from the frustrations of Cubans, we would power the entire planet."