The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant, Cuba's largest electricity generator, was taken offline at 3:00 a.m. today due to a boiler leak, as reported by the Electric Union (UNE) on their Facebook page.
This malfunction occurs amidst a period where the nation has been experiencing power outages lasting as long as 22 hours, with an energy shortfall reaching 1,752 MW during the Easter Sunday nighttime peak.
The latest breakdown places the National Electric System (SEN) on the brink of collapse, as the Matanzas-based plant is Cuba's largest, and its disconnection has triggered most of the widespread blackouts over the past year and a half.
Guiteras has a troubling history of frequent failures, which have escalated in recent months.
In just the first part of 2026, the plant has been taken offline from the SEN on at least four occasions before this latest issue: on February 2 due to a defect in the boiler's "Nodriza"; on February 9 due to a crack in the boiler structure; on March 4 because of a leak that left two-thirds of the country without power, from Camagüey to Pinar del Río; and on March 16, when another boiler leak caused the SEN to collapse entirely for 29 hours and 29 minutes.
In 2025, the situation was not any better: the plant suffered at least seven major shutdowns, with recurring issues such as leaks, cracks, reheater failures, and problems in the boiler's lower part.
Opened in Matanzas in 1988, Guiteras has a nominal capacity of 250 MW and accounts for 20% to 25% of the country's thermal generation. Each time it exits the system, the national deficit surges, and blackouts spread across the island.
The underlying causes are structural: an aging plant over 36 years old, suffering from inadequate maintenance, chronic shortages of spare parts, and accumulated wear without a long-term solution. Repairs are temporary, and the plant fails again shortly after rejoining the system.
The Cuban regime has blamed the energy crisis on the U.S. embargo, yet UNE's technical reports document structural decay, lack of preventive maintenance, and a scarcity of parts, direct consequences of decades of underinvestment under the dictatorship.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What recent issues has the Guiteras Power Plant faced?
In 2026 alone, the plant has experienced at least four major outages due to defects, structural cracks, and leaks. These have severely impacted Cuba's National Electric System.
How does the shutdown of Guiteras affect Cuba's power supply?
As Cuba's largest generator, when Guiteras goes offline, it significantly reduces the available power, leading to widespread blackouts and increasing the national power deficit.
What are the main causes of Guiteras' recurring failures?
The plant suffers from aging infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, and a chronic lack of spare parts, all of which contribute to its frequent breakdowns.