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The energy crisis facing Cuba has once again become evident this Friday with the official report from the Electric Union (UNE), which confirmed blackouts across the country during the 24 hours of Thursday and into the early hours of today.
The generation deficit reached a peak of 1842 MW yesterday at 7:20 PM, coinciding with peak hours, after several units of the Renté thermoelectric plant unexpectedly went offline.
At dawn this Friday, the generation availability was only 1,420 MW, compared to a demand that nearly doubled that capacity: 2,680 MW.
This left more than 1,270 MW of national demand unmet since the early hours of the morning, with estimates of impacts of at least 1,200 MW throughout the day.
The incidents in the system are numerous and reflect the structural collapse of the energy matrix.
Several units remain out of service: the 2 from Felton, the 5 and 8 from Mariel, the 5 from Nuevitas, and three blocks from Renté (3, 5, and 6).
Other plants are out of service due to planned maintenance, such as the two units in Santa Cruz and Unit 4 at Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in Cienfuegos.
Additionally, there are 264 MW constrained by thermal issues, highlighting the technical deterioration of the plants.
The situation worsens with the direct impact of the fuel shortage. According to UNE, 66 distributed generation plants are offline due to a lack of diesel, which equates to 556 MW less power.
In addition, 157 MW more cannot be produced due to a lack of lubricants, bringing the total lost generation from this cause to 713 MW.
For the peak hours this Friday, only the commissioning of unit 5 at Mariel is expected, with 50 MW—an insignificant figure compared to the magnitude of the deficit.
The UNE's forecast is alarming: a capacity of 1,470 MW against an expected demand of 3,300 MW, leaving a gap of 1,830 MW. In practice, this means blackouts of up to 1,900 MW during peak consumption times.
Although the state agency attempted to present the contribution of the 32 new solar parks as positive—which delivered 2,917 MWh on Thursday, with a peak of 583 MW at noon—it is true that these renewable sources only slightly alleviate the widespread collapse of the system.
The Electric Company of Havana also acknowledged in a note on Facebook that the capital was affected throughout the day on Thursday, with a deficit of 410 MW at 10:00 pm, which forced the shutdown of the six scheduled blocks in the city.
Behind the technical jargon and official reports lies a reality: the country remains mired in a structural energy crisis caused by decades of mismanagement, lack of investment, and absence of transparency from the regime, condemning millions of Cubans to workdays exceeding 20 hours without electricity, having a devastating impact on daily life, the economy, and public health.
Frequently asked questions about the energy crisis in Cuba
What is the current situation regarding blackouts in Cuba?
Cuba faces continuous blackouts due to a power generation deficit that has reached critical levels. The Electric Union (UNE) has reported that the deficit may exceed 1,800 MW, leading to prolonged electricity outages across the country. This situation severely impacts the daily lives of Cubans, who endure more than 20 hours without electrical service.
What are the main causes of the energy crisis in Cuba?
The energy crisis in Cuba is due to a combination of factors, including breakdowns in thermoelectric plants, extended maintenance, thermal limitations, and a severe shortage of fuel and lubricants. All of this has resulted in a generation capacity that is far below the national electricity demand.
What efforts are being made to mitigate the energy crisis in Cuba?
La Unión Eléctrica has attempted to mitigate the crisis by incorporating photovoltaic solar parks. However, these renewable sources are insufficient to cover the structural generation deficit. Despite these efforts, the lack of significant investments and the obsolescence of the infrastructure remain the main obstacles to an effective solution.
How does the energy crisis affect the Cuban population?
The Cuban population is severely affected by power outages, which impact both daily life and the economy as well as public health. Citizens are facing difficulties in refrigerating food, accessing drinking water, and maintaining basic living conditions, which has led to increasing social discontent.
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