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Cuba began October under the strain of massive power outages, following a September that left the National Electric System (SEN) at the brink of its capacity.
According to the official statement from the Unión Eléctrica (UNE), on Tuesday, September 30th, the service was affected for 24 hours and continued to be interrupted in the early hours of this Tuesday.
The maximum impact was 1,951 MW at 8:10 PM, a figure higher than planned due to the late entry of unit 5 of the Diez de Octubre thermoelectric plant.
The 31 operational photovoltaic solar parks contributed 3,208 MWh, with a maximum capacity of 651 MW, which is an insufficient relief given the significant generation deficit facing the SEN.
Forecast for the peak
During peak hours, the UNE anticipates a slight recovery of 50 MW from distributed generation engines and a partial entry of unit 3 from Renté with another 50 MW. Nevertheless, availability would barely reach 1,700 MW, compared to an estimated peak demand of 3,500 MW.
The expected deficit for the night is 1,800 MW, which will lead to an impact of up to 1,870 MW, confirming that October starts with the same pattern of massive blackouts that characterized September.
System status
At six in the morning on this Tuesday, the generation availability was only 1,600 MW, compared to a demand of 2,880 MW, resulting in over 1,325 MW affected by capacity deficit. The UNE estimated that during peak hours, there would be an impact of around 1,300 MW.
Among the main reported incidents are the breakdown of unit 2 at the Felton Power Plant and units 3 and 5 at the Renté Power Plant, while units 1 and 2 at the Santa Cruz Power Plant and unit 4 at the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Power Plant in Cienfuegos are undergoing maintenance. Thermal limitations account for an additional 525 MW out of service.
In addition, there are problems arising from the fuel shortage: 78 distributed generation plants are offline, with 538 MW unavailable, along with another 154 MW halted due to a lack of lubricant, resulting in a total of 692 MW lost for this reason.
Situation in Havana
For its part, the Electric Company of Havana reported on its that during Tuesday, the electric service was interrupted for 24 hours, without adhering to the established blackout schedule.
The capital experienced a peak impact of 267 MW at 8:40 PM, with all six units affected simultaneously, which prevented the implementation of rotating blackouts.
At the end of the report, 71 MW remained affected, and the company emphasized that, beyond the published planning, the interruptions are directly dependent on the demands of the National Electric System (SEN), which leads to widespread blackouts throughout the city in critical situations.
A critical September and an October that begins the same way
September ended up being one of the most challenging months for the SEN this year, accumulating deficits close to 2,000 MW.
The deteriorated infrastructure caused two major collapses —one partial in the East of Cuba on September 8 and another general throughout the country on the 10th— and reported multiple service outages at the thermoelectric plants of Guiteras, Felton, Renté, Mariel, and Céspedes.
Throughout the month, the disruptions spread almost continuously, with full days of blackouts affecting millions of households.
Far from showing improvements, the initial reports of October confirm that the outlook will remain just as adverse. The combination of breakdowns, overdue maintenance, thermal limitations, and a lack of fuel keeps the SEN in a state of technical collapse, unable to meet national demand even under normal conditions.
This situation has intensified citizen discontent, expressed through pot-banging, street blockades, and protests in neighborhoods of Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, and other provinces. Residents are demanding a solution to blackouts that last over 20 hours, while distrust in official announcements regarding the recovery of the system continues to grow.
With the escalating energy crisis, October appears to be a continuation of a cycle of massive blackouts, which not only impacts the economy and daily life but also fuels a growing social discontent in response to an increasingly unstable electricity service.
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