Related videos:
The state-owned Unión Eléctrica, under the Ministry of Energy and Mines of the Cuban regime, reported in its note on December 1, 2025, that the availability of the National Electric System (SEN) at dawn was 1,300 megawatts (MW), in contrast to a demand of 2,450 MW, resulting in a deficit of over 1,100 MW from the early hours of the day.
During peak hours, the situation will be even more critical. The regime expects a maximum demand of 3,250 MW and a supply of only 1,325 MW, which will leave nearly two-thirds of the country without electricity simultaneously, resulting in a deficit of 1,925 MW. "If the forecasted conditions persist, an impact of 1,995 MW is anticipated during this time,” states the official report.
The UNE acknowledged that there were power outages for 24 hours yesterday and that it was not possible to meet the supply schedule in provinces like Havana, where a maximum impact of 281 MW was reported and entire blocks remained disconnected due to "emergency" throughout the night.
Among the main causes of the energy collapse are breakdowns in Unit 2 of the Felton Thermal Power Plant and Unit 3 of the Renté Thermal Power Plant, as well as maintenance work at five other thermoelectric plants, including Mariel, Santa Cruz del Norte, Cienfuegos, and Nuevitas.
Also, 96 distributed generation plants are out of service due to a lack of fuel, and an additional 68 MW cannot operate because of a shortage of lubricants.
Havana experienced power outages since 1:00 PM, with a maximum impact of 281 MW at 7:00 PM. It was not possible to restore service due to low availability. Additionally, 118 MW were affected due to emergency measures, and during the early morning hours, cuts persisted due to shortages, leaving blocks 3, 4, 5, and 6 without power, totaling 158 MW out of service.
Although the regime tries to justify the crisis with the lack of foreign currency and the outdated system, the root of the problem is structural and stems from decades without investment in the energy sector, corruption, and dependence on state control, which have left the country with an obsolete and inefficient electrical system.
Experts estimate that it would take between 8 billion and 10 billion dollars to minimally recover the system, a figure that is impossible to accommodate under the current economic policy of the Communist Party.
Meanwhile, Cubans are preparing for another long night without electricity, without fans or cooling, accompanied by heat, mosquitoes, and fatigue.
The regime promises "medium-term" solutions, but daily reality shows that Cuba remains engulfed in a darkness that goes far beyond just electricity.
Filed under: