Cuba woke up this Monday under a scenario of maximum tension: while Hurricane Melissa threatens to impact the eastern part of the country as a powerful category 5 system, the National Electric System (SEN) is facing an almost total collapse, with widespread blackouts throughout the territory.
According to the official statement from the Unión Eléctrica de Cuba (UNE), during the day on Sunday, service disruptions affected the entire 24 hours, reaching a maximum deficit of 1,762 MW during the nighttime hours.
This Monday, at six in the morning, the availability was 1,495 MW compared to a demand of 2,600 MW, leaving over a million users without electricity.
The UNE reported that it will "prioritize" electricity generation in the east due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa, although its own official statement acknowledged a national deficit of 1,705 MW during peak hours, with forecasts of impacts of up to 1,775 MW.
The main causes of the collapse include breakdowns at three key thermoelectric plants—the Unit 3 of the Céspedes CTE (Cienfuegos), Unit 2 of Felton (Holguín), and Unit 6 of Renté (Santiago de Cuba)—as well as a lack of fuel and lubricants in distributed generation. In total, 819 MW are offline due to a shortage of hydrocarbons.
The announcement to “strengthen the supply” in Eastern Cuba was met with skepticism and sarcasm by users on social media. From Bayamo, Holguín, and Santiago, dozens of citizens reported that they have been without electricity for over 20 hours, just when the country needs it most to prepare for the imminent arrival of the hurricane.
“Where is that priority? We're left in the dark and scared here,” commented a resident of Granma.
Meanwhile, the Civil Defense declared a Cyclonic Alarm Phase this Monday for Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, Las Tunas, and Camagüey, as Melissa continues its advance with sustained winds of 260 km/h and a central pressure of 917 hectoPascals.
With power outages, fuel shortages, and an electrical system at its breaking point, Cuba is facing the worst possible scenario right before the impact of a historic hurricane.
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