It lasted as long as a meringue at a school gate. The “electric breath” that Cuba experienced on the eve of dictator Fidel Castro's 99th birthday vanished as soon as the candles were blown out—or rather, as soon as the propaganda spotlight dimmed.
The Electric Union (UNE) reported this Wednesday on its social media that the generation deficit from the previous day reached approximately 1,576 MW, exceeding expectations due to a spike in demand and the usual breakdowns that seem to have a schedule of their own.
At the peak of the night, three thermal power plants were out of service: unit 5 of the Máximo Gómez CTE, unit 1 of the Santa Cruz CTE, and, as could be expected, unit 2 of Felton, which has been offline since they powered up the Morro.
Today Wednesday, the forecast is not encouraging: 1,475 MW deficit during peak hours, enough to keep the ovens on... but only in the kitchen of public discontent.
In the meantime, 68 distributed generation power plants are halted due to a lack of fuel, with thermal limitations reducing capacity by 384 MW, and promises of "entrances" of units and engines that sound more like a rehearsal of a dissonant orchestra than a real solution.
The official narrative of recent days —one that seemed to suggest that the spirit of the commander illuminated the plants— has collided with reality: daily blackouts lasting up to 20 hours, defrosted refrigerators, and sleepless nights.
The relief was so short-lived that some joke that the thermoelectric plants only operate out of “political commitment” and that, after August 13, they will return to their usual lethargy.
In the end, Castro's "energy revolution" and its continuation have resulted in an electrical system that cannot stand even with tributes. The only spark that remains is that of indignation.
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