On October 25, 2024, Cuba's National Electric System (SEN) is once again struggling due to a generation capacity shortfall, according to the Unión Eléctrica. The issues began at 5:41 AM, with outages peaking at 879 MW the previous day at 7:20 PM, coinciding with peak demand. In addition, Guantánamo experienced 13 MW of outages following a hurricane.
At 7:00 AM, SEN's availability was at 1,937 MW, while demand reached 2,000 MW, creating a deficit of 99 MW. By midday, this shortfall is expected to rise to 400 MW. Several units are out of order due to maintenance issues, including those at CTE Santa Cruz (1 and 3), CTE Cienfuegos (3), CTE Felton (2), and CTE Renté (5). Thermal generation limitations account for 545 MW, and 35 distributed generation plants are offline due to fuel shortages, adding up to 191 MW unavailable.
Heading into the evening peak, it's anticipated that additional units and engines will start operations, contributing 187 MW. However, with peak demand projected at 3,000 MW and availability only at 2,124 MW, the deficit could reach 876 MW, potentially causing disruptions up to 946 MW if conditions persist.
Ongoing Infrastructure Challenges
On October 24, 2024, the Unión Eléctrica reported a significant generation deficit, resulting in widespread outages, including in Havana. The generation capacity was inadequate, with a single-day shortfall hitting 1,245 MW, highlighting persistent issues within the nation's electrical infrastructure. This is part of a series of massive outages that began the previous Friday and have continued for several days.
On October 23, a report revealed that over 11,000 children in Matanzas were left without milk due to a power outage that disrupted refrigeration and distribution of the essential product. Meanwhile, several municipalities in Guantánamo remain without power following Hurricane Oscar, complicating recovery efforts and leaving thousands of families in dire conditions.
Conflicting Reports and Citizen Confusion
On October 24, conflicting statements between the Unión Eléctrica (UNE) and the Ministry of Energy and Mines regarding scheduled outages heightened confusion among citizens. While the UNE denied planned blackouts, the Ministry confirmed that interruptions would continue due to the generation deficit. That same day, Havana's Electric Company issued a notice warning of emergency outages in the capital, confirming that difficulties would persist throughout the day.