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The Electric Union (UNE) reported that on Monday, the electrical service was affected for 24 hours and remained interrupted throughout the early morning of November 4, 2025.
The highest impact from generation capacity deficit was recorded at 6:20 PM, with 1,205 megawatts (MW) off the system.
Another 527 MW were affected in the provinces from Las Tunas to Guantánamo, as a result of Hurricane Melissa, which has left eastern Cuba practically in a complete blackout since October 28.
Insufficient solar energy
The UNE highlighted in its report that the 22 new photovoltaic solar parks in the west and center of the country produced 1,970 megawatt-hours (MWh), with a maximum capacity of 378 MW, figures that barely alleviate the deep generation deficit of the country.
At 6:00 AM on Tuesday, the availability of the National Electric System (SEN) was 1,470 MW, compared to a demand of 2,220 MW, resulting in an immediate shortfall of 780 MW. The company anticipates that this deficit will increase to 830 MW in the following hours.
Breakdowns and lack of fuel worsen the crisis
Among the main incidents reported are breakdowns at Unit 6 of the Máximo Gómez thermoelectric plant (Mariel), Unit 2 of Felton (Holguín), and Unit 5 of Diez de Octubre (Camagüey).
In addition, Unit 2 of the Santa Cruz Thermal Power Plant and Unit 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Thermal Power Plant in Cienfuegos are undergoing maintenance.
The limitations in thermal generation amount to 560 MW offline, while fuel issues have put 54 distributed generation plants (434 MW) out of operation, and another 147 MW are unavailable due to a lack of lubricant. In total, 581 MW are affected for this reason.
Forecast for peak hours: Another night of blackouts
The UNE predicts that during peak hours, 50 MW of generators currently out of service due to a lack of fuel will come online, along with a partial return of Unit 6 from the Máximo Gómez CTE, adding another 80 MW. Even with these additions, the maximum availability would barely reach 1,600 MW, compared to a projected demand of 2,700 MW, leaving a deficit of 1,100 MW.
If these conditions persist, the state-owned company expects blackouts of up to 1,170 MW during the night, which will result in extended hours without electricity for most of the country.
Meanwhile, the eastern part of the country—from Las Tunas to Guantánamo—remains engulfed in an almost total blackout. The brigades have begun the recovery of some areas, but progress is minimal, and many localities remain cut off or without stable electricity.
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