The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant was reconnected to the National Electric System (SEN) at 8:54 a.m. on Monday, as confirmed by the Electric Union through a brief announcement on social media stating “Antonio Guiteras CTE Unit Online.”
This reconnection follows a tumultuous period for the plant in Matanzas, which experienced at least 16 disconnections from the grid between January and mid-June, marking one of the most challenging cycles of outages in its recent history.
The latest series of issues began on June 15, when the plant was halted due to a leak in the boiler just three days after it had returned to operation on June 12, contributing only about 100 MW, far below its maximum capacity of 330 MW.
On June 17, plant director Román Pérez Castañeda detailed that “a weld seam failed and damaged three additional tubes.” He announced plans to replace over 100 defective weld seams.
Efforts to Restore Power Supply
On Sunday, the plant completed a hydraulic test, a preliminary step before resuming operations, and was reconnected to the grid on Monday.
Despite this progress, the outlook for Cuba’s power supply remains bleak. According to Monday's report from the Electric Union, at 6:00 a.m., the SEN's availability was only 1,080 MW against a demand of 2,790 MW, resulting in 1,709 MW being affected.
For the evening peak hours, the organization anticipates that Guiteras will contribute 200 MW while “in startup process,” yet the projected shortfall still reaches 1,920 MW.
The statement noted, “For peak demand hours, an availability of 1,280 MW is estimated with a maximum demand of 3,200 MW, leading to a deficit of 1,920 MW, which means an expected impact of 1,950 MW if current conditions persist.”
Challenges Facing the Power Infrastructure
The previous day, the maximum impact hit 2,038 MW at 8:30 p.m., with 106 distributed generation plants offline due to fuel shortages, equivalent to 890 MW, bringing the total unavailable megawatts due to this cause to 1,203.
The ongoing deterioration of the Guiteras plant stems from structural issues that no piecemeal repairs can solve. The boiler has been in operation for over 38 years, and the plant hasn't undergone major maintenance since 2010.
Pérez Castañeda has publicly acknowledged the need for at least 180 days of shutdown for a comprehensive overhaul, but stated that "the country's current situation does not yet allow it."
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis
Why is the Antonio Guiteras plant important to Cuba's electric grid?
The Antonio Guiteras plant is a significant component of Cuba’s electric grid, with a maximum capacity of 330 MW. Its frequent breakdowns greatly impact the national power supply.
What are the main reasons for the power outages in Cuba?
The primary causes include structural issues in aging power plants like the Guiteras, insufficient maintenance, and a shortage of fuel for distributed generation plants.
What steps are being taken to address the power shortages?
Current measures involve temporary repairs and testing at plants like Guiteras. However, comprehensive overhauls are needed, which are currently hindered by the country's economic situation.