The Lidio Ramón Pérez thermal power plant's Unit 1, situated in Felton, Mayarí, has once again been taken offline from the National Electric System (SEN) because of a leak in its boiler. Amidst Cuba's ongoing energy crisis, state journalist Lázaro Manuel Alonso reported on Facebook that the unit has been decommissioned, with the disruption likely to last several days.
"The plant has commenced a cooling process to address the issue in the coming days," the reporter stated. Despite the plant's recent synchronization with the SEN on March 1st, its contribution of 230 MW falls short in alleviating the country's energy shortfall, which exceeds 1,600 MW during peak hours, according to the Cuban Electric Union (UNE).
The energy crisis continues to be exacerbated by multiple plants being out of service due to technical malfunctions. The Felton plant has experienced repeated breakdowns over the past few months, particularly throughout 2025 when Unit 1 faced several disconnections.
Some of the recent incidents include:
On January 30th, 2025, the unit was taken offline for a scheduled ten-day maintenance.
On February 7th, 2025, the unit resumed operations following this maintenance period.
On February 11th, 2025, another malfunction in the cooling system forced its immediate removal from the SEN.
On February 17th, 2025, after the turbine cooled down, repairs on the internal components of the generator began.
On February 26th, 2025, the UNE announced that the unit would be ready to resume operations by February 27th, though this forecast was later withdrawn to avoid "false expectations."
Despite the plant's reintegration into the system, Cubans continue to endure frequent and extended power outages. The lack of detailed information regarding the exact causes of the breakdowns at Felton, coupled with limited transparency about proposed solutions, continues to fuel public discontent and hopelessness.
Understanding the Energy Crisis in Cuba
What caused the recent shutdown of the Felton power plant?
The recent shutdown of the Felton power plant was caused by a leak in its boiler, necessitating the unit's removal from the National Electric System.
How does the shutdown of Felton's Unit 1 affect Cuba's energy supply?
With Felton's Unit 1 offline, Cuba faces a significant energy shortfall, as the plant's contribution of 230 MW is insufficient to address the country's peak hour deficit of over 1,600 MW.
What has been the recent history of outages at the Felton plant?
The Felton plant has experienced multiple outages in 2025, including scheduled maintenance and unexpected malfunctions, particularly in the cooling system, leading to several disconnections from the grid.