The daily report from the Unión Eléctrica (UNE) forecasts a challenging Tuesday for Cuba, with power outages expected to reach 1,677 MW. The primary culprit this time is a staggering 911 MW deficit caused by a lack of fuel.
The breakdown of power affected due to fuel shortages is as follows:
- 84 distributed generation plants offline (571 MW)
- Moa fuel plant (147 MW)
- Regla floating power station (54 MW)
- Eight engines at the Melones floating power station (139 MW)
Total impacted by fuel scarcity: 911 MW.
In a rare occurrence, only one thermoelectric unit is currently out of order due to mechanical failure, although five others are undergoing maintenance. The only unit down due to a breakdown is Unit 2 of the Felton Thermoelectric Power Plant. Scheduled maintenance includes five units: Unit 6 of the Mariel Plant, Unit 2 of the Santa Cruz Plant, Units 3 and 4 of the Cienfuegos Plant, and Unit 5 of the Renté Plant.
Additionally, restrictions in thermal plant capacity have taken 430 MW offline.
Monday's Power Outage Overview
On Monday, the electrical service was disrupted for the entire day due to capacity shortages, a condition that persisted through early Tuesday morning. The peak outage occurred at 7:10 p.m., with a total of 1,591 MW out of service, coinciding with the highest demand period.
As of 7:00 a.m. today, the National Electric System (SEN) had an availability of 1,443 MW, while demand surged to 2,380 MW, resulting in a 1,008 MW deficit. By midday Tuesday, the impact is expected to escalate to 1,400 MW—an alarmingly high figure.
Prospects for Improvement?
The outlook offers scant relief: the possible recovery of 150 MW from distributed generation engines currently offline due to fuel shortages is anticipated.
With this scenario, projections for peak demand hours are as follows:
- Estimated availability: 1,593 MW
- Maximum expected demand: 3,200 MW
- Estimated deficit: 1,607 MW
- Predicted impact: 1,677 MW
If the current conditions persist, severe disruptions in electric service are expected during peak consumption periods.
Scheduled Outages for Today in Havana
The Havana Electric Company has informed its customers that, "considering the generation deficit in the National Electric System," today's outage schedule will be as follows:
- Blocks #3 and #4 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Block #2 will be affected from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
- Block #1 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis
What is causing the power outages in Cuba?
The primary cause of the power outages is a lack of fuel, which has resulted in a significant reduction in power generation capacity.
How are fuel shortages impacting Cuba's energy sector?
Fuel shortages have led to the shutdown of numerous generation plants and engines, significantly reducing the country's ability to meet electricity demand.
What measures are being taken to address the power deficit?
Efforts to recover some power capacity include attempting to bring offline distributed generation engines back into service.