Unit 6 of the Mariel Thermoelectric Plant is out of the electrical system due to a breakdown

The Cuban Electric Union (UNE) reported this Tuesday at 2:30 PM that Unit 6 of the "Máximo Gómez" Thermal Power Plant (CTE) was disconnected from the system following a significant fluctuation in the electrical networks, caused by the tripping of one of the 220 kV lines linking Mariel with Havana.

This is the second service outage in just a few days for this generating unit. Last Friday, September 26th, Unit 6 was forced to cease operations due to oil contamination and vibrations in the feed water pump.

The official communication did not provide details about the extent of the new malfunction or the repair work that will be undertaken, nor did it specify when it might be reintegrated into the National Electric System (SEN).

This type of unforeseen outages exacerbates the already fragile energy situation in the country, where recurring technical failures in the main thermoelectric plants —along with the lack of fuel— have caused prolonged blackouts across the national territory.

Cuba ends September with the electrical system in free fall and 24-hour blackouts

The National Electric System (SEN) began this Tuesday with a deficit of over 1,100 megawatts (MW) and a forecast of outages of up to 1,840 MW during peak hours, marking the end of September as the most critical month of the year.

According to the official report from UNE, the maximum impact on Monday reached 1,798 MW at 8:00 PM, with interruptions occurring throughout the day and into the early hours of today. At six in the morning, the availability of the SEN was 1,670 MW, against a demand of 2,840 MW, leaving more than 1,196 MW of consumption without support.

The report details that Unit 2 of Felton, Unit 5 of Nuevitas, and Units 3 and 5 of Renté remain out of service, while Units 1 and 2 of Santa Cruz and Unit 4 of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in Cienfuegos are undergoing maintenance. Additionally, thermal limitations account for another 385 MW out of service.

This is compounded by the lack of fuel: 43 distributed generation plants are shut down (398 MW) and 181 MW are unavailable due to a lack of lubricants, resulting in a total loss of 579 MW.

Although the 31 photovoltaic solar parks delivered 3,006 MWh on Monday with a peak of 597 MW, this contribution is insufficient to meet the increasing demand.

The UNE anticipates that for the peak hours this Tuesday, the availability will be only 1,780 MW, against a demand of 3,550 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,770 MW and potential blackouts of up to 1,840 MW if the projected conditions persist.

In the capital, the Electric Company of Havana announced on its social media that on Monday the service was affected for more than 23 continuous hours, with a peak interruption of 170 MW at 8:50 PM.

Although the schedule anticipated rotating outages by blocks, the company acknowledged that all six blocks were affected, preventing the established plan from being implemented. By the time of the report, 40 MW were still out of service, and the entity reminded that these outages depend on the overall conditions of the SEN and do not always align with the planned schedule.

A September of Collapses and Protests

Official data confirms that September was the most difficult month of the year for the SEN. From the first week, blackouts were reported close to 2,000 MW, with outages lasting throughout the day and night.

On September 8, there was a partial collapse that left much of the eastern part of the country without electricity. Just two days later, on September 10, a general blackout occurred that disconnected the entire island.

The fifth collapse of the SEN in less than a year took days to resolve, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of the system. However, the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel boasted and claimed that they had managed to restore the SEN in "record time."

Throughout the month, daily deficits frequently exceeded 1,700 MW, with constant 24-hour disruptions. Breakdowns were compounded by fires and damage at the major thermal power plants: Antonio Guiteras in Matanzas, Felton in Holguín, Renté in Santiago de Cuba, Máximo Gómez in Mariel, and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in Cienfuegos.

Each incident took hundreds of megawatts offline and forced a reliance on distributed generation, which was also unsustainable due to a lack of diesel.

The deterioration of the electricity service also sparked protests in various provinces. In neighborhoods of Havana, Santiago, and Holguín, residents took to the streets to demand the restoration of service after blackouts that lasted over 20 hours.

The sound of pots and pans, street blockades, and cries of "We want electricity!" multiplied during the most critical nights, under heavy police surveillance. Repression was swift, and in Gibara, for example, there were arrests along with the usual threats from State Security.

A system on the edge

With the close of September, the SEN is on the brink of technical and social collapse. The repeated blackouts, both general and partial, the escalating deficits, and the inability to keep the main thermal power plants operational demonstrate a system with no margin for immediate recovery.

The population, increasingly affected by darkness, bids farewell to the month with the certainty that power outages will continue to shape daily life in Cuba, as the energy crisis deepens without clear prospects for a solution.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Electrical Crisis in Cuba