Out of Breath: Power outages persist in Cuba with a deficit of over 1,500 MW

The energy crisis in Cuba continues to strike hard against the country. The Electric Union (UNE) reported on Wednesday a power generation deficit of over 1,500 MW, resulting in widespread blackouts that impact both the population and essential services.

According to the provided data, the disruptions began in the early morning and will continue throughout the day. The state-owned company led by Alfredo López Valdés had forecast a disruption of 1,450 MW during this time, but the reality exceeded those projections.

Yesterday, the highest recorded impact was 1,563 MW during peak demand hours at 6:10 p.m., as acknowledged by the company on its social media.

The electrical service remained interrupted throughout the night, and by 7:00 a.m. today, the National Electric System (SEN) reported an availability of 1,420 MW against a demand of 2,390 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,025 MW. This deficit is expected to increase during peak hours, reaching an estimated impact of 1,503 MW.

Critical units such as Unit 5 in Mariel and Unit 2 in Felton are out of service due to breakdowns, while others are undergoing maintenance, which significantly reduces generation capacity.

Although the reintegration of some units is expected during peak hours, the deficit will persist, with a projected availability of 1,747 MW compared to an estimated demand of 3,180 MW.

Scheduled blackouts in Havana

In light of this situation, the Electric Company of Havana announced on its social media scheduled blackouts due to a generation deficit.

Customers in Blocks 3 and 4 will be affected between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., while Block 1 will experience outages from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Finally, Block 2 will be affected from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

These interruptions reflect the critical energy situation facing the Island, a problem that has intensified in recent years, generating frustration and discontent among the population, which demands definitive solutions. Meanwhile, the energy deficit remains a constant that worsens the quality of life for Cubans.