The energy crisis that Cuba has been experiencing for years reached a new alarming peak this Saturday. According to the official report from the Electric Union (UNE), the expected impact due to generation deficit for today's peak time will be 1,977 MW, a figure that even surpasses the historical record set last April, when a deficit of 1,901 MW was reported.
In practical terms, this figure equates to leaving more than half the country without electricity at peak demand and marks a new level in the technical collapse of the National Electric Power System (SEN), increasingly unable to meet the minimum needs of the population.
At 7:00 a.m. this Saturday, the availability was only 1,580 MW, compared to a demand of 2,900 MW, which resulted in an immediate shortfall of 1,357 MW, expected to persist and even increase by midday, with a projected shortfall of 1,550 MW.
For the evening, when the expected demand will reach 3,600 MW, it is estimated that there will be only 1,693 MW available, resulting in a deficit of 1,907 MW and a final impact of 1,977 MW, should current conditions persist. Data from the state-owned company reflects a growing increase in the deficit in recent weeks,
The technical report presents a bleak picture: units 5 and 6 of the Mariel Power Plant, unit 6 of the Nuevitas Power Plant, and unit 2 of the Felton Power Plant remain out of service due to malfunctions. Additionally, units 2 of the Santa Cruz Power Plant, 4 of Cienfuegos, and 5 of Renté are also undergoing maintenance.
Thermal limitations impact 383 MW, and the lack of fuel leaves 73 distributed generation plants (618 MW) out of operation, in addition to another 61 MW due to issues with the Regla shuttle and a shortage of oil.
Although the country has 18 photovoltaic solar parks, its contribution remains symbolic: only 1,520 MWh generated yesterday and a peak of 303 MW, unable to cover the gap left by the thermal collapse and the lack of fossil resources.
This catastrophic scenario even exceeds the most pessimistic recent forecasts. This Friday, UNE reported an estimated impact of 1,870 MW, which is considered the third worst in years. On June 21, the deficit was 1,770 MW. And on April 23, the highest record reported to date was 1,901 MW.
The progression is clear: each week the deficit grows, the ability to respond decreases, and citizens endure increasingly prolonged blackouts, extending even up to 24 consecutive hours in several provinces. Havana, traditionally sheltered, is also experiencing scheduled outages that have become commonplace.
Meanwhile, the Cuban regime has responded with cosmetic measures such as the youth expedition “Energía Joven”, aimed at “explaining” the recovery plan and promoting savings. However, the people need not propaganda or moralizing, but concrete solutions: functioning generators, guaranteed fuel, and a minimum of institutional transparency.
Today's figure — 1,977 MW of impact — is not just a number. It is the extreme symptom of a broken system, of a country trapped in a darkness that is no longer only energetic but also political, economic, and social.
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