The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant, Cuba's largest electricity-generating facility, successfully rejoined the National Electroenergetic System this Sunday, as announced by the plant itself on Facebook.
"Guiteras online at 150 MW and increasing load. Stabilizing parameters," detailed another post.
This development comes after weeks of repairs following the eighth complete collapse of Cuba's electrical grid on September 18, which caused fresh damage to Guiteras' boiler economizer—described as "punctures in multiple points of the steam generator"—and an additional leak found during a hydraulic test on September 23, further extending the technical intervention.
However, Guiteras' return to service falls short of resolving the severe energy deficit that continues to plague the island, exacerbated this very Sunday by a new malfunction at another plant in the system.
Critical Energy Shortfall Worsens
The Electric Union (UNE) reported on Facebook that unit 3 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Thermoelectric Power Plant in Cienfuegos went offline due to a "steam leak in the high-pressure heater 7."
This unit had only been reconnected three days earlier—on September 24—after a previous outage on September 6 caused by a failure in the air compressor switch.
The UNE's report for Sunday portrayed a dire scenario: at 6:00 am, the system's availability was a mere 1,240 MW against a demand of 2,750 MW, leaving 1,500 MW affected.
"For peak demand hours, an availability of 1,240 MW is expected against a maximum demand of 3,050 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,810 MW. If current conditions persist, an impact of 1,840 MW is forecasted during this period," it specified.
Widespread Power Outages Continue
On Saturday, the situation was equally dire: power service was interrupted due to capacity shortages for the entire 24 hours, including overnight, with a maximum impact of 2,044 MW recorded at 9:10 pm.
In addition to unit 3 of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Plant, unit 3 of the Cienfuegos Plant, unit 2 of the Felton Plant, and unit 6 of the Renté Plant are also out of service, while three other units are undergoing scheduled maintenance at the Santa Cruz, Nuevitas, and Renté plants.
Thermal generation limitations amount to 414 MW, with the only partial relief coming from solar photovoltaic parks, which contributed 4,024 MWh on Saturday with a peak capacity of 626 MW at midday.
Enduring Challenges at Guiteras
The Guiteras Plant has experienced at least 17 unscheduled interruptions in 2026, with the economizer of its boiler—operating continuously for 38 years in a highly corrosive environment—being the most frequent cause of its failures.
Understanding Cuba's Power Grid Challenges
What caused the recent failures at the Guiteras Plant?
The recent failures at the Guiteras Plant were primarily due to punctures in multiple points of the steam generator and an additional leak detected during a hydraulic test.
How does the energy deficit affect Cuba?
The energy deficit severely impacts Cuba, resulting in widespread power outages and affecting essential services and daily life across the island.
What is the current status of Cuba's power plants?
Several power plant units are currently out of service due to malfunctions, with others undergoing scheduled maintenance, contributing to the ongoing energy crisis.