The Cuban National Electric System is grappling with a severe crisis as it struggles to meet energy demands, resulting in widespread blackouts across various regions, including the island's capital. According to the latest report from the Cuban Electric Union (UNE), the nation is facing a significant shortfall in electricity generation capacity.
On the previous day, there was a reported shortfall of 1245 MW over the span of 24 hours, with outages extending into the early morning and resuming at dawn. The UNE disclosed on Wednesday that the actual generation capacity stood at 1245 MW, falling short of expectations, which highlights ongoing issues with the country's electrical infrastructure. Since Friday, there have been repeated large-scale blackouts.
Currently, the availability of the National Electric System is 1990 MW, while demand has surged to 2160 MW, leading to a deficiency of 220 MW. During peak hours, the deficit is anticipated to worsen, potentially reaching up to 990 MW.
Impact of Power Plant Outages
The issue is further exacerbated by power plants undergoing maintenance or experiencing breakdowns. Key units such as unit 8 at the Mariel Thermoelectric Plant, unit 3 at Cienfuegos, and unit 2 at Felton are out of operation. Additionally, several distributed generation plants are offline due to fuel shortages.
Emergency Measures in Havana
The Havana Electric Company announced on Thursday that emergency power cuts are necessary in the capital, specifically in Blocks #1 and #2, between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, due to the dire circumstances. They urged residents to conserve energy and minimize consumption to prevent overloading the grid.
Citizens have expressed outrage over these developments. One online user commented, "Here we go again. Four days without power and not a moment of relief. No electricity, no water—there's nothing in this country. Turn off the State Council and see how much energy would be available for all of Cuba."