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Cuba will experience a new critical day in its electric system this Sunday, with a forecast of impact of up to 1370 megawatts (MW) during peak hours, as confirmed by the Unión Eléctrica in its latest informative note.
The estimated availability for this schedule will be just 2300 MW, compared to a maximum demand that could reach 3600 MW, once again highlighting the structural collapse of the national energy system and the continuation of blackouts.
From the early hours of this Sunday morning, the outlook was already bleak: availability was reported at only 2,110 MW at 7:00 a.m., while demand reached 3,170 MW, resulting in an immediate deficit of 1,090 MW.
For the midday schedule, an impact of approximately 1050 MW is expected, indicating that the country will remain under strain throughout the day.
Breakdowns, maintenance, and lack of fuel
The causes of the deficit are attributed to breakdowns, scheduled maintenance, and serious limitations due to a lack of fuel.
The main incidents include: breakdowns at Unit 2 of the Felton CTE and Unit 3 of the Renté CTE; ongoing maintenance on Units 8 (Mariel), 2 (Santa Cruz), 4 (Cienfuegos), and 5 (Renté); and thermal limitations that have taken 382 MW out of service.
In addition, the shortage of fuel severely impacts distributed generation, with 79 plants idled (586 MW), and inactive engines in the Melones barges (80 MW) and Regla (20 MW), totaling 686 MW out of service for this reason.
Solar energy: limited contribution
Although the 19 new photovoltaic solar parks contributed 2,165 MWh this Saturday and reached a peak generation of 503 MW, their impact remains insufficient compared to the deterioration of the country's other energy capacities.
Outlook for the end of the day
During peak hours, the entry of 80 MW from engines currently halted due to fuel shortages is anticipated, along with the addition of unit 8 from the CTE Mariel (70 MW) and five engines in the Regla patana (40 MW). Even with these partial recoveries, the deficit would remain around 1300 MW, impacting thousands of homes, businesses, and essential services throughout the country.
Once again, the fragility of the National Electric System is exposed, while structural problems, lack of investments, and dependence on obsolete technologies and scarce fuels persist. The population, for its part, remains caught in daily blackouts, without clear answers or short-term solutions.
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