Cuban Government Discloses Real Causes Behind Power Outages

This Friday, the Cuban regime unveiled the primary factors contributing to the ongoing energy crisis on the island, characterized by frequent and prolonged power outages and severe impacts on the National Electric System (SEN). In an official statement released on social media platform X, the structural and economic reasons hampering the recovery of the energy sector—which affects both the populace and the country's economic activities—were detailed.

According to the Cuban government's report, the major reasons for the power outages include:

Lack of Foreign Currency: The shortage of financial resources has made it challenging to acquire the necessary materials and equipment for the renovation and maintenance of energy infrastructure.

Delays in Maintenance and Technological Upgrades: The modernization of thermoelectric plants has been postponed, reducing their electricity generation capacity.

Slow Progress in Updating the Energy Matrix: The shift to more sustainable energy sources has not progressed at the required pace.

Fuel Shortages: Challenges in securing an adequate fuel supply have led to a decline in energy production.

As a result, the report indicates, there have been significant losses in electrical generation capacity. Thermoelectric plants have seen a decrease of approximately 3,731 GWh over the past five years. Additionally, the availability of fuel and diesel engines has fallen to 39% and 37%, respectively, with a declining trend, the regime notes.

The regime states that mobile generation has also reduced its capacity by 24.2% compared to 2023, while renewable energy accounts for only 4% of the total electricity generated in the country. These failures have led to numerous disconnections from the SEN, causing power cuts in various regions and affecting thousands of Cubans.

In response to this situation, the government claims to have introduced "a plan for the sector's recovery, under the leadership of Commander Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, aiming to meet the energy demand of the population and ensure the stability of the electric system."

The SEN Recovery Program includes an inter-institutional approach prioritizing energy sovereignty and the transition to cleaner and more efficient energy sources, the note emphasizes.

Key Initiatives and Future Plans for Energy Generation

A crucial aspect of this program is expanding electricity generation capacity through photovoltaic parks. The regime announced plans to add over 500 MW of solar-generated energy by the end of the first half of 2025, with a projection of 1,800 MW by the end of the following year; however, this Friday, they lowered their forecast to 1,000 MW.

The official statement highlights investments in solar photovoltaic projects, planning to install plants of 1,000 MW each to boost renewable generation capacity in the short and medium term. "By the end of 2025, approximately 1,100 MW from renewable projects are expected to connect to the SEN," it details.

Additionally, the government announced a salary increase for workers in the electric sector starting January 2025 to improve efficiency and motivate the personnel responsible for maintaining and operating the energy system.

These measures aim to stabilize Cuba's energy system and minimize the impact on the population amid a complex economic and financial environment. The government has stressed that sector recovery is a national priority, requiring the collective effort of all involved institutions.

However, many Cubans remain skeptical about promises of resolving the crisis in the short to medium term. Despite the allure of renewable energy, a recent investigative article by the independent outlet Diario De Cuba explained that "considering the average international cost of installing a kilowatt of renewable energy ranges between $1,000 and $5,000—using photovoltaic and wind sources—reconfiguring Cuba's current 6,000 MW installed generation capacity would cost between $6 billion and $30 billion, plus a similar amount necessary for modernizing the electric grid and installing storage batteries, as renewables do not generate continuously and stably."

This indicates that the regime's promise will be yet another failed and "delusional" endeavor, with the Castro regime claiming it will fulfill it by 2030, when it plans to produce 24% of its electricity from clean sources. "But to achieve such a percentage of electric generation starting from the current 5% of installed renewable energy, the government would need to allocate around $1.2 billion annually over the next five years solely for this purpose, between solar and wind parks, battery fields, and the renewal of a fifth-world electric grid," the analysis titled "The Unsustainability of Sustainable Energy for Cuba" pointed out.