Cuba experienced one of the worst electrical days of the year this Tuesday, with widespread blackouts across the country and a deficit that exceeded 2,000 megawatts (MW), confirming the collapse of the National Electric System (SEN).
According to the official report from Unión Eléctrica (UNE), the maximum impact was 2,010 MW at 21:10 hours, a value higher than initially forecasted (1,872 MW).
The increase in the impact, according to the UNE, was due to the technological limitation in unit 3 of the Céspedes CTE and the unexpected outage of unit 6 of the Renté CTE, adding to a long list of plants out of service due to breakdowns or maintenance.
The population, however, no longer trusts the technical reasons the government gives to justify the lack of electricity.
At 6:00 AM this Wednesday, the national electrical system had only 1,680 MW available to meet a demand of 3,050 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,418 MW. During the peak hours, an even greater impact is anticipated: 1,550 MW.
For the nighttime peak, although a partial entry of Renté (50 MW), Mariel (95 MW), and engines in the Regla barge (48 MW) is expected, the deficit will remain excessive: 1,788 MW, with an estimated impact of 1,858 MW.
Blackouts are a consequence of five damaged thermal units, three undergoing maintenance, 294 MW experiencing thermal limits, and a fuel shortage that keeps 63 distributed generation plants out of service, along with part of the floating storage tanks.
The lack of investment in energy maintenance contrasts sharply with the wastefulness in tourist megaprojects. Meanwhile, Cubans, tired of empty promises, once again face an entire day without electricity, with hospitals, schools, and homes in critical condition. The electrical crisis has become one of the most visible faces of the inefficiency of Miguel Díaz-Canel's regime.
One of the worst days of the year: Deficit exceeds 2,000 MW for the third time in 2025
The maximum impact recorded this Tuesday, with 2,010 megawatts (MW) out of service at 9:10 PM, not only exceeded the forecasts of the UNE by a wide margin, but also became one of the three largest electrical crises of the year so far.
This level of deficit has only been exceeded on two previous occasions in 2025, both during the month of July.
On July 22, the electrical system collapsed with a record deficit of 2,054 MW, while on July 15, a deficit of 2,020 MW was reached, according to reports from the Electric Union itself, disseminated in official media and documented by CiberCuba.
Despite the deployment of new renewable sources, such as solar parks, and multimillion-dollar investments in tourist infrastructure, generation levels still do not meet the country's minimum demand.
The recurrence of figures exceeding 2,000 MW highlights that the system is operating on the edge of permanent collapse, lacking technical reserves and operational stability.
For Cubans, who face daily blackouts of up to 18 hours, this new blackout is just another chapter in an electrical nightmare that seems endless.
Another dark night in Havana: Out of service since 8:05 p.m.
The Electric Company of Havana confirmed on its that the service was interrupted at 8:05 PM on Tuesday and had not been restored by the time their information note was released.
The capital blackout reached a maximum impact of 159 MW at 9:10 PM. Even the reserve block (B1) was affected, along with circuits not associated with known blocks, reflecting the operational deterioration of the system in the capital.
In addition, the official blackout schedule was released for this Wednesday, August 6, and the early morning of the 7th, with rotating outages affecting all blocks —including the reserve block again— from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. the following day.
The company reminded that power outages may extend beyond the expected duration due to emergencies.
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