The most powerful floating power plant that operated in Cuba definitively left the port of Havana on the morning of this Wednesday.
The truck leaves and the darkness remains.
The Turkish floating plant -with a capacity of 240 megawatts (MW)- leaves behind a deep alarm signal: the country is left with only one operational barge, while blackouts worsen and the national energy system crumbles.
The withdrawal occurs without a clear short-term solution to compensate for the loss of generation.
An announced departure, but not publicly acknowledged
The Ministry of Energy and Mines had informed last Saturday that the barge Suheyla Sultan, also known as Karadeniz One -the name under which it was identified during its operation in Cuba- would be disconnected “for commercial reasons.”
However, he avoided specifying when his physical withdrawal would take place.
During the following days, smoke could still be seen coming from some of its chimneys, indicating partial activity, as revealed this Wednesday by the portal 14yMedio.
However, this morning it finally departed from the Havana port, assisted by a tugboat, according to images posted on social media.
The official press has maintained absolute silence on the issue so far.
Sources close to the operation indicate that the real reason for the withdrawal is the non-payment by the Cuban regime.
In May, the independent media 14yMedio predicted the departure of the Suheyla Sultan vessel, but the regime denied that it would leave. Less than three months later, the departure has indeed been realized.
From eight to one: The exodus of the patanas
At the peak of Turkish presence, Cuba had eight barges from the company Karpowership operating off its coasts.
Today, only one remains, anchored in Regla, which is also experiencing issues: according to the Electric Union (UNE), it is 37 MW out of service due to lack of fuel.
The Suheyla Sultan was the one with the greatest individual capacity.
In December 2024, Minister Vicente de la O Levy warned before the National Assembly that the trucks would leave sooner rather than later due to the country's inability to meet payment obligations.
Although he defended a long-term plan based on national and renewable sources, he acknowledged that it would not be ready by the summer of 2025.
A brutal deficit and relentless blackouts
The disconnection of Suheyla Sultan comes at a bad time: the country's electricity deficit continues to reach historical figures.
On Tuesday, Cuba experienced one of the worst electrical days of the year, with widespread blackouts across the country and a deficit exceeding 2,000 megawatts (MW), confirming the collapse of the National Electric System (SEN).
According to the official report from the Electric Union (UNE), the maximum impact was 2,010 MW, a value higher than initially forecasted (1,872 MW).
The increase in the impact, according to the UNE, was due to the technological limitations in unit 3 of the Céspedes CTE and the unexpected shutdown of unit 6 of the Renté CTE, adding to a long list of plants out of service due to breakdowns or maintenance.
For tonight's peak, an estimated impact of 1,858 MW is expected.
The withdrawal of the patana, far from being just a technical adjustment, places even more pressure on an infrastructure that was already on the brink of collapse.
Without an emergency plan and with the thermoelectric plants in ruins
The speech by Minister De la O Levy emphasized an "energy sovereignty" based on the country's internal capabilities: the use of domestic crude oil, associated gas, biomass, and solar and wind energy.
But none of that has materialized in any significant way. Meanwhile, the aging thermoelectric plants, plagued by constant breakdowns, are unable to meet the demand.
In the absence of real short-term alternatives, Cubans are facing a bleak outlook: more blackouts, more heat, more uncertainty.
While the government remains silent and the ships sail away, darkness—both literal and figurative—remains in Cuba.
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