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The Cuban electrical system will once again face a day marked by blackouts lasting for extended periods. According to the daily report from the Electric Union (UNE), a deficit of 1,640 MW is expected during peak hours this Thursday, which will result in an estimated impact of 1,670 MW across the country.
According to the official forecast, the available generation capacity will be only 1,560 MW, compared to an estimated peak demand of 3,200 MW, a gap that confirms the structural fragility of the National Electric System (SEN).
Uninterrupted cuts and accumulated failures
During the previous day, the electrical service was continuously affected from 4:54 AM to 3:11 AM, with a maximum impact of 1,739 MW at 6:00 PM, coinciding with the peak consumption hours.
On the morning of this Thursday, at 6:30 a.m., demand reached 2,100 MW, while availability barely reached 1,560 MW, resulting in an impact of 505 MW, a figure that could increase as the day progresses. By noon, the UNE estimates blackouts of up to 950 MW.
Breakdowns, maintenance, and lack of fuel
The report confirms that several key thermoelectric plants remain out of service due to breakdowns, including units 5 of Mariel and Nuevitas, as well as unit 2 of Felton. In addition, there are scheduled maintenance activities at Santa Cruz and the CTE Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in Cienfuegos.
The limitations in thermal generation reach 621 MW, while the fuel crisis remains one of the main bottlenecks:
116 distributed generation plants are out of service, affecting 875 MW
An additional 142 MW remain unavailable due to a lack of lubricants
In total, 1,017 MW are out of the system due to issues related to fuel supply, a problem that remains unsolved in the short term.
Solar energy: partial relief, but insufficient
Although the 34 photovoltaic solar parks contributed 3,224 MWh on the previous day, with a maximum power of 654 MW, their contribution remains insufficient to offset the decline in thermal generation and the high demand.
The outlook confirms that, despite official announcements, power outages remain a constant in the daily lives of Cubans, with no clear signs of improvement in the short term.
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