Cuban authorities have acknowledged that the primary reason for the widespread blackouts over the weekend is the shortage of diesel fuel, crucial for distributed power generation.
“The main issue is that our distributed generation is practically offline due to a lack of fuel. We simply do not have diesel for distributed generation, and this impacts our availability,” admitted Lázaro Guerra Hernández, the Director General of Electricity at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, on national television.
Adding to the crisis are four thermoelectric units that are out of operation due to malfunctions and another two undergoing maintenance, he further explained.
Widespread Blackouts and System Collapse
As of Monday, the Cuban electric grid is experiencing another significant collapse, resulting in extended blackouts across the island. Reports from the Electric Union (UNE) indicate that power outages have exceeded 1,900 megawatts (MW) during peak hours.
The Electric Company of Havana reported that the city was plunged into darkness at 6:39 p.m. on Sunday, with a peak impact of 359 MW at 6:20 p.m., leading to the shutdown of five out of six distribution blocks.
The complete restoration of services was achieved shortly after 12:06 a.m. on Sunday, following more than six continuous hours of power interruption.
On social media, the company admitted that it was “unable to adhere to the previously announced schedule” due to low base generation availability, resulting in an additional emergency impact of 100 MW.
While no active outages were reported at the time of their statement, they warned that if the availability of the National Electric System (SEN) does not improve, unplanned blackouts could occur again, affecting blocks and circuits "by emergency."
According to Monday's national report, the SEN had an availability of 1,360 MW against a demand of 2,150 MW, starting with a deficit of 750 MW that continued to worsen.
During peak hours, the anticipated impact is 1,905 MW due to breakdowns in the Mariel, Felton, Antonio Maceo, and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes thermoelectric plants, as well as the ongoing fuel shortage keeping more than 100 distributed plants offline.
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis
What is causing the blackouts in Cuba?
The primary cause of the recent blackouts is a shortage of diesel fuel for distributed power generation, compounded by malfunctions and maintenance of thermoelectric units.
How severe is the blackout situation in Cuba?
The blackouts are significant, with power outages exceeding 1,900 megawatts during peak hours, affecting most parts of the country and causing widespread disruption.
What measures are being taken to address the power outages?
Efforts to address the outages include restoring fuel supplies for distributed generation and repairing malfunctioning thermoelectric units, though current availability remains insufficient.