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The energy crisis in Cuba continues to worsen, exposing the inefficiency of the electrical system and the government's inability to ensure a stable supply for the population.
According to the report from Unión Eléctrica (UNE), on Thursday the service was continuously interrupted until the early morning, when it was temporarily restored at 12:32 am, only to affect the country again starting at 5:17 am.
The maximum impact due to generation deficit reached 1,400 MW at 6:20 PM, while in the eastern provinces, from Holguín to Guantánamo, the passage of Hurricane Melissa left an additional 140 MW out of service, adding more complications to the already collapsed system.
The availability of the National Electric System (SEN) early this morning was only 1,721 MW, compared to a demand of 1,920 MW, with 212 MW affected by capacity shortfall.
By midday, it is estimated that 650 MW of power will be out of service, evidence that the electrical infrastructure continues to be unable to meet the basic needs of the population.
The structural crisis is reflected in the inability to keep several generation units operational.
The Antonio Maceo thermoelectric plant reported malfunctions in its units 5 and 6, while unit 2 of the Felton thermoelectric plant is also out of service.
This was coupled with maintenance work on units from the CTE Antonio Guiteras, Santa Cruz, and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in Cienfuegos, as well as 466 additional thermal units limited by operational issues.
Technical problems are compounded by a lack of essential resources.
The fuel shortage has rendered 80 distributed generation plants inoperative, totaling 633 MW, while an additional 99 MW were unavailable due to a lack of lubricant. The total capacity affected by these issues amounts to 732 MW.
Facing peak hours, the situation remains critical: it is estimated that the maximum demand will reach 3,000 MW, while the availability of generation will be only 1,721 MW, leaving a deficit of 1,279 MW and causing impacts of up to 1,349 MW.
The 30 new solar parks in the country generated only 1,818 MWh, with a peak of 315 MW, a figure insufficient to alleviate the crisis.
In Havana, the situation is no different.
The Electric Company of the capital reported that power outages affected the city for more than 10 hours, with the peak impact of 226 MW at 6:20 PM, and the service was only restored at 8:20 PM.
The scheduled times in the afternoon and evening (peak demand hours) could not be met either due to low generation availability, highlighting the system's inability to adjust.
"In the early morning, there was no impact due to deficits," the note specifies.
This situation once again highlights the fragility of the Cuban energy system and the lack of planning by the authorities.
Despite investments in renewable energy, the reality shows a power system on the brink, unable to guarantee the most basic need: a constant supply of electricity for homes, hospitals, and industries, while the population continues to pay the price for years of negligence and mismanagement.
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