The Antonio Guiteras power plant in Matanzas remains offline from the National Electric System (SEN) this Friday, undergoing repairs following its ninth breakdown in 2026. Meanwhile, Cuba's Electric Union (UNE) has notably omitted mentioning the plant in both its daily reports and televised updates on the ongoing energy crisis.
This oversight is particularly notable as Guiteras represents the largest single generation unit in the country and plays a crucial role in maintaining an increasingly fragile electric grid.
Despite the significance of Guiteras, the official UNE report only acknowledged malfunctions at other facilities: Unit Six of the Máximo Gómez Power Plant, Unit One of the Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Power Plant, Unit Two of the Lidio Ramón Pérez Power Plant, and Unit Five of the Antonio Maceo Power Plant, excluding the Matanzas facility.
General Manager Román Pérez Castañeda, speaking to the official newspaper Girón, emphasized that the latest boiler malfunction is unrelated to previous incidents, though he admitted that frequent outages necessitate a reevaluation of already compromised components.
Pérez Castañeda stated, “Given the two or three consecutive outages, our focus this time is on inspecting and repairing components that have contributed to these breakdowns or that we've identified as compromised.”
Ongoing Repair Efforts
Repair efforts are concentrated on regenerative air heaters, burners, furnace seal integrity, and various valves impacting plant operations. Pérez acknowledged that the process cannot be expedited. He explained, “The initial hours (over 35) are dedicated to cooling and preparation. Then we inspect to locate the damage, plan repair actions, perform the repairs, and subsequently verify the correctness of the work done.”
Estimations on Thursday suggested that repairs could last three to four days, though the critical path should not exceed 72 hours.
Frequent Breakdowns Highlight Structural Issues
The recent breakdown occurred just five days after the plant was synchronized with the SEN on May 9, following a stoppage of nearly 90 hours involving approximately 300 corrective measures. A similar boiler leak had previously incapacitated Guiteras on May 5, underscoring that partial repairs do not address underlying structural problems.
The shutdown of Guiteras triggered a partial collapse of the SEN on Thursday at 6:09 AM, leaving the central and eastern regions of Cuba, from Ciego de Ávila to Guantánamo, without power.
National Energy Crisis
As of 6:30 AM on Thursday, availability was a mere 636 MW against a demand of 2,420 MW, with 1,790 MW affected. On Friday, the situation showed slight improvement, with UNE reporting an availability of 1,241 MW at 6:30 AM, a demand of 2,800 MW, and 1,565 MW affected, following a maximum impact of 1,991 MW at 9:20 PM on Thursday.
Commissioned in 1988, the primary power plant of the country has been in operation for 38 years, with its last major maintenance in 2010, marking over 15 years without a comprehensive shutdown. Pérez Castañeda himself has acknowledged the necessity for at least 180 days of downtime for thorough maintenance, but admitted, “The country's current situation does not allow for it.”
The national energy landscape further complicates the situation: Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy admitted on Wednesday, May 13, that Cuba is "without fuel"—neither diesel nor fuel oil—and described the situation as "severe, critical, and extremely tense."
Understanding Cuba's Power Struggles
What is causing frequent outages at the Antonio Guiteras Power Plant?
The plant has experienced repeated breakdowns due to issues like boiler leaks. These are symptomatic of deeper structural problems that partial repairs have not resolved.
How long is the repair process expected to take?
The repair process is expected to take between three to four days, although the critical path should not exceed 72 hours.
What impact does the Guiteras plant have on Cuba's power grid?
Being the largest single generation unit, the Guiteras plant is crucial for maintaining stability in Cuba's already fragile power grid. Its outages significantly disrupt the country's electric supply.