The week begins with an increase in blackouts in Cuba

This Monday the effects on the electrical service began at 5:55 in the morning, according to the Electrical Union.

| 04/03/2024 - 3:08pm (GMT-5)

Cargando — Logo of the Electrical Union of Cuba (Reference Image) Photo © Facebook/Bernardo Espinosa

TheElectrical Union (UNE) of Cuba announced blackouts for this Monday due to ageneration deficit of more than 1,100 MW, at a start to the week that is not at all hopeful for the inhabitants of the island.

This Monday theavailability of the National Electroenergy System (SEN) at 7:00 am was 1,950 MW andthe demand of 2,140 MW. At 5:55 am the service began to be affected due to a capacity deficit in the system.

It is estimated aimpact on the schedule of the average of 750 MW.

Capture of Facebook/UNE Electrical Union

In the daily information note issued by the entity, it said that "it is estimatedfor the peak hour an availability of 1995 MW anda maximum demand of 3,120 MW, for a deficit of 1,125 MW, so if the expected conditions continue, an impact of 1,195 MW is forecast during this time."

Currently, unit 3 of the CTE Santa Cruz and unit 2 of the CTE Felton are out of service due to a breakdown; and unit 8 of the CTE Mariel, units of the CTE Guiteras, unit 6 of the CTE Nuevitas, and unit 6 of the CTE Rente are under maintenance, UNE detailed.

Likewise, 96 Distributed Generation Plants are out of service due to lack of fuel, the same as the Santiago de Cuba plant, for a total of 757 MW. In addition, there are 7 plants with low coverage (57 MW).

They clarified that they hope to incorporate “Distributed Generation engines that are awaiting maintenance and their use with 45 MW is authorized” during peak hours.

Last week, the regime announced thatthe CTE Antonio Guiteras was disconnected from the national electrical energy system starting Wednesday, February 28 for 17 days for maintenance tasks.

Meanwhile, alsoThey stopped the operations of the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant, in Camagüey, to carry out "planned maintenance" that will last until April.

With these unfavorable conditions, there wasterritorial governments, such as that of Villa Clara, which promised not to extend blackouts more than 12 hours a day after the departure of the SEN from the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant; But Cubans say they don't even have time to charge their cell phones between one blackout and the next.