As the energy crisis continues to grip Cuba, millions of citizens endure blackouts that can last up to 20 hours a day. This situation worsened on Thursday, January 1, and the early hours of Friday, despite the regime’s claims of a supposed "stability" in the National Electric System (SEN) during the New Year celebrations.
According to the Electric Union (UNE), power outages occurred on Thursday from 7:29 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., and then again from 2:56 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The most significant disruption of the day reached 1506 megawatts (MW) at 6:30 p.m., highlighting the severe structural collapse of the system.
By Friday, January 2, the situation showed no signs of improvement. At 6:00 a.m., the real availability of the SEN was only 1550 MW against a demand of 1600 MW, leading to an immediate impact of 110 MW. By noon, it was estimated that blackouts would total 400 MW.
Continued Deterioration of Power Infrastructure
During peak hours, the demand was expected to reach 2950 MW, with the system still only able to provide 1550 MW, resulting in a projected shortfall of 1400 MW and an anticipated impact of up to 1430 MW. The ongoing degradation of the thermoelectric plants remains a major contributing factor to the system's collapse. Units 5 of the Mariel thermoelectric plant (CTE) and 2 of the Felton CTE are currently out of service due to malfunctions. Additionally, units 2 of the Santa Cruz CTE and 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes CTE in Cienfuegos are undergoing maintenance. As a result, 726 MW are offline purely due to thermal generation limitations.
Fuel Shortages Aggravate Power Crisis
The chronic shortage of fuel and lubricants further exacerbates the situation. UNE reports that 79 distributed generation plants are out of service due to these shortages, resulting in 753 MW being unavailable. Additionally, the Melones barge is inactive with 35 MW, the Regla barge with 48 MW, and another 142 MW are offline due to lack of lubricants, culminating in a total of 978 MW lost solely because of basic supply deficiencies. This starkly illustrates the State's failure to sustain the power system.
The government has attempted to showcase solar photovoltaic parks as a potential solution. UNE announced that the 34 new parks produced 2812 MWh and reached a peak output of 511 MW during midday. However, these figures fall significantly short of the anticipated 1400 MW deficit during peak hours, confirming that these proposed solutions are far from sufficient to offset the collapse of conventional power generation.
Disparities in Power Distribution
Amidst this scenario, the Havana Electric Company posted on Facebook that there were no power cuts in the province due to deficits on Thursday, but reminded that disruptions depend on the SEN's requirements. This statement highlights the stark inequality in blackout distribution and the preferential treatment certain areas receive, while the rest of the country remains mired in prolonged outages.
The contrast with the official narrative could not be more pronounced. On Thursday, official journalist Esther Lilian González from the Ministry of Energy and Mines declared that December 31 was "a good day for the Electric Union" and that "at 12:00 a.m., when January 1 arrived, everyone in Cuba had power."
This portrayal of normalcy lasted only a few hours. The swift return of widespread blackouts confirmed this as a propaganda mirage rather than a genuine solution. While the regime continues to present isolated statistics and promises of stability, the reality is that the electric system remains in a deep-rooted crisis caused by years of neglect, mismanagement, and lack of effective investments.
The result is an entire nation trapped in endless blackouts, with a weary population bearing the brunt of the energy collapse.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What are the main causes of the power outages in Cuba?
The primary causes include the deterioration of thermoelectric plants, chronic shortages of fuel and lubricants, and mismanagement by the government, resulting in significant power deficits.
How is the Cuban government responding to the energy crisis?
The government has been promoting solar photovoltaic parks as a solution; however, these efforts fall short of addressing the severe power shortages caused by the collapse of conventional power generation.