On Wednesday, the National Electrical System (SEN) managed to partially restore electricity in Havana and several western provinces following a massive blackout that affected those regions. However, as reported by Lázaro Guerra Hernández, general director of Electricity at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Cuba continues to grapple with a generation shortfall exceeding 1,400 megawatts.
Guerra Hernández indicated that the situation is likely to remain strained, particularly during the evening peak hours, due to the shutdown of the Lidio Ramón Pérez (Felton) thermoelectric plant. Felton is expected to remain offline for 24 to 36 hours, significantly impacting the balance between generation and demand within the system.
The shutdown of Felton occurred just hours after its synchronization was reported, highlighting the persistent fragility of the SEN, which is plagued by frequent failures and limited availability. The Electric Union (UNE) had noted that Felton's Unit 1 went offline again "under emergency conditions" shortly after reconnecting to the system.
The partial restoration of power follows a widespread outage across the western region, leaving provinces from Pinar del Río to Cienfuegos without electricity. In the latest update, the UNE reported a generation availability of 1,389 MW against a demand of 3,329 MW, with estimated disruptions due to capacity deficits reaching 1,972 MW. This gap underscores the system's stress level and suggests more outages are on the horizon.
Efforts to stabilize the grid had seen some progress, with the recent synchronization of Unit 6 at Nuevitas (Diez de Octubre) and Unit 3 at Antonio Maceo (Renté). However, Felton's subsequent outage has again intensified the situation. Additionally, disruptions from previous days have compounded the issue: on Monday, there were 24-hour interruptions with a peak demand of 2,105 MW at 7:00 PM. Malfunctions were reported in Felton's Unit 2 and Renté's Unit 3, alongside numerous units undergoing maintenance.
The situation is further exacerbated by fuel shortages impacting distributed generation, with 102 plants out of operation, totaling 914 MW offline, thereby severely restricting the system's response capability. In Havana, the Electric Company has also been cautioning about daily outages and scheduling changes due to low availability.
FAQs About Cuba's Ongoing Electricity Crisis
Why is there such a large power deficit in Cuba?
Cuba faces a significant power deficit due to the shutdown of major power plants like Felton, frequent system failures, and limited fuel availability for distributed generation.
How long is the Lidio Ramón Pérez (Felton) plant expected to be offline?
The Felton plant is anticipated to be offline for a period ranging from 24 to 36 hours, which will have a significant impact on power generation and demand balance.
What areas are most affected by the power outages?
The western provinces, including Havana, Pinar del Río, and Cienfuegos, have been particularly impacted by the power outages.