Cuba Faces Nationwide Blackout as Guiteras Plant Repairs Key Economizer Pipes

The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant, Cuba's largest electricity generation facility, is currently focused on fixing three damaged pipes in its economizer. This comes at a time when the nation is experiencing its most severe electrical crisis in recent memory, with an unprecedented power deficit exceeding 2,200 megawatts.

Román Pérez Castañeda, the plant's general manager, informed the Cuban News Agency—a state-run outlet—that cutting and welding work on the compromised pipes began this afternoon. This was possible after the necessary technical conditions to address the affected area were established.

Pérez Castañeda mentioned that by Saturday, November 27, the full extent of the repairs would be determined. He emphasized that additional actions might be undertaken on the economizer itself "to minimize the risk of a similar failure," as reported by the official media.

The Guiteras plant was disconnected from the National Electrical System on Wednesday, November 24, at 5:48 PM due to a water loss in the boiler, just two days after rejoining the grid on Monday. This marks the facility's sixteenth malfunction this year, in what technicians describe as one of the most intense cycles of breakdowns in the plant's recent history.

The economizer has been the plant's most troublesome component in 2026. From January to late May, this single component racked up nearly 300 hours of downtime. Earlier repairs this year involved inspecting 544 welds, repairing 172, and measuring thickness at over 850 points. During the June 17 malfunction, the director reported replacing over 100 faulty welds, which were identified as the recurring source of failures.

The plant has been operational for more than 38 years without undergoing major maintenance since 2010. Pérez Castañeda acknowledged that at least 180 days of shutdown are needed for a comprehensive review, but "the country's current situation still doesn't allow for it." Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy had promised such maintenance by the end of 2025, postponed it in December citing a "situational problem," and announced it again in April 2026 without a specific date.

The director emphasized that they have the necessary material resources and specialized personnel from the Electric Power Plant Maintenance Company, along with the plant's own workers, to tackle the repairs.

These efforts unfold amid an unprecedented energy collapse. On Thursday, November 25, Cuba recorded a record electric deficit of 2,208 MW, surpassing the previous high of 2,174 MW on May 14. For Friday's peak, the Electric Union projected only 1,065 MW available against a demand of 3,200 MW, with an estimated shortfall of 2,245 MW.

Havana endured a full 24-hour blackout on Thursday, with a maximum impact of 640 MW. In Matanzas—where the Guiteras plant operates—some areas experienced 85 consecutive hours without power. Compounding the issue, 106 distributed generation plants remain offline due to lack of fuel, representing 890 MW of unavailable capacity.

The constant power outages have tested the public's patience. Protests erupted in Santiago de Cuba, and demonstrations occurred in Havana's Vedado district, met with police response and internet blackouts in conflict areas. A Cuban woman, who has been without electricity for over a week, voiced her frustration on social media, capturing the widespread exhaustion. The Cuban Conflict Observatory reported 1,311 protests, complaints, and civic actions in May 2026 alone, the highest monthly figure ever recorded.

The decision on Saturday regarding the scope of repairs at the Guiteras plant will be crucial. It will determine not only when the plant returns to the grid but also whether the regime is prepared to undertake a longer shutdown to reduce the risk of future breakdowns or if it will prioritize a quick reconnection amidst an already unprecedented crisis.