The ongoing energy crisis in Cuba continues to severely impact the population, with extended blackouts and an electrical grid unable to meet national demands.
This Sunday, March 8, the Cuban Electric Union (UNE) reported that power outages persisted throughout the previous day and into the early hours of Sunday, highlighting a chronic issue that has worsened over the years.
Saturday evening saw the electrical service reach its most critical point at 7:30 PM, with a generation shortfall of 1,958 megawatts (MW), marking one of the highest levels of deficit recorded recently.
By 6:00 AM on Sunday morning, the National Electric System (SEN) had an availability of 1,035 MW, while the demand was 2,100 MW, leaving a shortfall of 1,085 MW unmet.
For midday, authorities projected an impact of around 1,100 MW, indicating further service interruptions are expected in extensive areas of the country.
The challenges facing the system are largely attributed to several thermal power plant units being offline.
According to the official report, five units are out of service due to malfunctions, located at the Mariel, Diez de Octubre, Felton, and Antonio Maceo power plants, with two units down at the latter.
Additionally, three blocks are undergoing maintenance at the Mariel, Nuevitas, and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes plants, further reducing the available generation capacity.
Furthermore, the system has 581 MW unavailable due to limitations in thermal generation, another sign of the cumulative deterioration of energy infrastructure.
For the peak evening hours, the UNE forecasted a capacity of 1,195 MW against a maximum estimated demand of 3,050 MW.
This scenario results in a deficit of 1,855 MW and an anticipated impact of 1,885 MW, suggesting widespread blackouts across the nation if conditions remain unchanged.
Amidst this critical situation, the only positive development was the reactivation of the Antonio Guiteras thermal power plant in Matanzas.
The largest power generation plant in Cuba successfully synchronized with the SEN at 6:03 AM on Sunday after being offline for four days due to an outage.
The UNE announced that the thermal block began gradually increasing its load, with the aim of recovering approximately 200 MW of power generation.
Meanwhile, the blackouts also severely affected the capital city.
The Havana Electric Company reported that service was interrupted throughout the entire previous day, with a maximum impact of 309 MW at 6:30 PM.
During that day, it was necessary to remove 70 MW from the system due to an emergency, and the company acknowledged that a complete restoration of service was not possible due to the generation deficit.
By the end of the official report, a 40 MW block remained without service, with plans to restore it later in the morning.
Authorities clarified that power cuts in blocks and circuits due to the so-called energy contingency continue without set schedules, depending on the actual availability of the SEN.
The persistence of these outages underscores an energy crisis that has worsened over the years.
The decline of thermal power plants, lack of sustained investments, and poor management of the electrical system have left millions of Cubans vulnerable to prolonged power cuts, with severe consequences for everyday life, household economies, and productive activities across the country.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What is causing the power outages in Cuba?
The power outages in Cuba are primarily caused by a combination of deteriorating thermal power plants, inadequate investment in energy infrastructure, and poor management of the electrical system.
How do the power outages affect daily life in Cuba?
The power outages have severe impacts on everyday life in Cuba, disrupting household activities, affecting domestic economies, and hindering productive processes throughout the country.