As October draws to a close, Cuba continues to grapple with a severe electricity crisis characterized by prolonged blackouts, malfunctioning power plants, and failures in the lines connecting various provinces. In Cienfuegos, the state-run company acknowledged circuits experiencing between 70 and 89 continuous hours without power. Nationally, the maximum power deficit hit 2,004 megawatts (MW) on Thursday, October 29, the highest recorded among the five days with confirmed deficits.
The week was marked by regional disconnections: Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo were cut off from the National Electric System (SEN) on Sunday, October 25; Granma faced another disconnection on Monday, October 26; and Pinar del Río lost connection on Tuesday, October 27. Guantánamo experienced another disconnection and reconnection on Friday, October 30. These incidents, varying in impact, compounded the power cuts due to insufficient generation.
The Impact of Power Plant Failures
The shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant on Tuesday, October 27, due to low vacuum in the condenser, further exacerbated the crisis. That same day, a fire at the Alacranes substation in Matanzas left around 3,700 customers without service. Additionally, on Thursday, a failure in a 110-kilovolt line disrupted supply to most circuits in Santa Clara. This crisis affected both electricity production and the networks necessary to deliver it to consumers.
National Deficit and Forecasts
The latest national forecasts highlight the extent of the imbalance: for the peak demand period on Friday, October 30, the Electric Union (UNE) estimated 840 MW available against a demand of 2,800 MW. This available power was only about 30% of the demand. The forecasted deficit was 1,990 MW, though this had not been confirmed by the end of that day.
This analysis covers October 25 to the early hours of October 31, 2026, Cuban time. The latest national report available is from October 30, reporting the closure of the 29th.
Persistent National Power Deficits
Data from the CiberCuba Blackout Observatory, derived from reports and communications from electric entities, shows a persistently high national deficit. A temporary relief on Wednesday, October 28, was followed by a new increase on Thursday.
On Sunday, October 25, the maximum deficit was 1,849 MW, against a forecast of 1,760 MW for the peak. On Monday, October 26, the real maximum rose to 1,983 MW, above the predicted 1,900 MW. On Tuesday, October 27, the deficit recorded was 1,988 MW, close to the forecast of 1,990 MW.
On Wednesday, October 28, the maximum recorded deficit dropped to 1,928 MW, while the peak forecast was 2,045 MW. On Thursday, October 29, it rose again to 2,004 MW, against the forecasted 1,940 MW for that day.
For Friday, October 30, the forecasted deficit was 1,990 MW, though the national closure was not yet available. By the early hours of Saturday, October 31, there was still no national closure or new report with sufficient figures, although territorial reports had been published.
Regional Power Struggles
Reports from various provinces reveal significant challenges. In Pinar del Río, a 46-minute disconnection occurred on Tuesday, October 27, when a 220 kV line tripped. The UNE restored service 46 minutes later, but did not specify the technical cause.
In Artemisa, the Máximo Gómez thermoelectric plant in Mariel faced maintenance issues, with unit 8 under maintenance and unit 5 out of service due to a fault.
La Habana reported significant power outages, with the VC100 circuit in Arroyo Naranjo accumulating over 64 hours of outages by Friday, October 30. Other districts like Cerro and Regla also suffered extended outages.
In Mayabeque, Santa Cruz del Norte's power plant continued to report issues, with units in various states of maintenance and repair.
Matanzas faced multiple challenges, including the shutdown of the Guiteras plant and a fire at the Alacranes substation, affecting thousands of customers.
In Villa Clara, a 110 kV line failure left much of Santa Clara without power on Thursday, October 29.
Other provinces like Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila, and Camagüey also reported significant power deficits and distribution issues, impacting services like water supply and healthcare.
In the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, residents continue to cope with the crisis by cooking with charcoal and dealing with frequent outages.
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis
What caused the power crisis in Cuba?
The crisis is due to a combination of prolonged blackouts, failures in power plants, and insufficient power generation and distribution infrastructure.
How are different provinces affected by the power outages?
Provinces like Pinar del Río, Artemisa, and La Habana have faced extended outages, while others like Matanzas and Villa Clara have encountered technical failures impacting thousands of residents.
What measures are being taken to address the power shortages?
Efforts include maintenance and repairs of power plants, installation of equipment to manage load distribution, and attempts to increase power generation capacity.