In the midst of the severe energy crisis affecting the Cuban people, the historical leader of the Cuban regime, Ramiro Valdés continues to tour inaugurations of solar parks.
The nonagenarian military official inaugurated this time the Luaces Photovoltaic Park, in the municipality of Vertientes, Camagüey, reported on Facebook by the Electric Company of that province.
The park will have a maximum active power of 21.8 MW, which it can deliver to the National Electric System (SEN) only during the solar peak at noon, occurring between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
It is the largest generation facility using one of the existing renewable energy variants, the publication states.
The inauguration of the solar park in Camagüey joins the opening of similar facilities in other provinces in recent months, amidst a national context of aging thermoelectric plants, postponed maintenance, and scarce fuel, where the contribution of renewable energies accounts for about 5% of the country's energy matrix.
However, these installations come with a significant limitation: the lack of batteries to store the generated electricity, which means that solar energy can only be used in real-time, during the day, with no possibility of meeting nighttime demand, when consumption is highest.
The ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel has promised a substantial improvement in energy capacity with the installation of new solar parks, anticipating 500 MW for the first half of this year and 1,200 MW by the end of 2025.
The official goal is to achieve 2,000 MW of solar energy by 2030.
However, on the ground, the population continues to suffer from prolonged power outages and limited concrete information about the tangible benefits of these investments.
Blackout Saturday
This Saturday, Cuba's Electric Union (UNE) reported that the National Electric System (SEN) continues to operate with a significant generation deficit, resulting in continuous blackouts over the last 24 hours and will lead to further disruptions throughout the day.
On Friday, the maximum impact was 1584 MW at 9:00 PM, not coinciding with the peak demand hour, and higher than planned due to the non-entry of unit 6 from the Mariel CTE.
The situation remained the same throughout the early morning today.
According to the official report, the system's availability at 7:00 am was 1,820 megawatts (MW) compared to a demand of 2,900 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,134 MW.
It is estimated that by noon the impact will be about 1,100 MW.
For the peak hours tonight, the UNE estimates a supply of 1,890 MW and a maximum demand of 3,350 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,460 MW.
If the conditions remain unchanged, authorities forecast an impact of up to 1,530 MW during that period.
Multiple failures and fuel shortages
The energy landscape continues to be worsened by outages at major thermal power plants: Unit 6 of the CTE Mariel and Unit 2 of the CTE Felton are out of service due to technical issues.
In addition, another five units from the plants in Santa Cruz, Cienfuegos, Nuevitas, and Renté are undergoing scheduled maintenance.
This is compounded by thermal limitations that take another 294 MW offline.
The lack of fuel remains a critical factor: 68 distributed generation plants are idle for this reason; 235 MW cannot operate due to a shortage of oil for the engines; in total, 749 MW are offline due to fuel-related issues.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Energy Crisis and Solar Parks in Cuba
What is the current situation of the electrical system in Cuba?
The electrical system in Cuba is facing a severe crisis, characterized by prolonged blackouts and a significant generation deficit. The thermoelectric infrastructure is aging, maintenance has been postponed, and fuel shortages exacerbate the situation. Currently, renewable energies, such as solar, account for only 5% of the country's energy matrix.
How do the new solar parks contribute to electricity generation in Cuba?
The new solar parks in Cuba aim to increase the country's electricity generation capacity through renewable energy. However, these parks face significant limitations, such as the lack of batteries for energy storage, which restricts their use to daytime hours. Despite this, they are expected to contribute up to 2,000 MW of solar energy by 2030, according to government promises.
What real impact do solar energy investments have on Cubans?
The impact of solar energy investments is limited for Cubans due to the lack of adequate infrastructure for storage and distribution. Although the government promotes these projects as energy advancements, the population continues to experience frequent blackouts, and many perceive these investments more as propaganda than as effective solutions.
What are the Cuban government's plans to address the energy crisis?
The Cuban government has promised to construct 55 solar parks with a capacity of 1,200 MW by the end of 2025. Additionally, it aims to increase renewable generation to reach 2,000 MW of solar energy by 2030. However, the lack of details regarding funding and management issues raises questions about the feasibility of these plans.
Filed under: