The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant, located in the province of Matanzas, was disconnected from the National Electric System (SEN) this Friday due to a malfunction, as confirmed by Cuba's Electric Union (UNE) in a brief note shared on social media.
"The block of the Antonio Guiteras Thermal Power Plant was removed from the National Electric System at 10:05 a.m. due to a crack in the structure of the boiler," the state entity stated in its brief announcement.
The publication did not provide further details on the extent of the damage or the estimated timelines for its reinstatement to the system.
The Matanzas journalist, José Miguel Solís, also reported the departure of the unit and stated that it is a stop to "repair external damage to the boiler", without providing further technical details.
The departure of the Guiteras occurs during a day with high levels of expected impact.
According to the official report from the UNE for this Friday, a maximum impact of 1,906 megawatts is expected during peak hours, confirming the ongoing deficit in electricity generation in the country.
The Matanzas thermoelectric plant is the most important facility in the Cuban electrical system due to its generation capacity when it is operational.
However, it has experienced numerous outages from the SEN in recent years, both due to scheduled maintenance and various types of breakdowns, mainly linked to the structural deterioration of its components and the challenges in carrying out substantial repairs.
So far, the authorities have not provided an update on how long this new halt might take.
A recent synchronization, another immediate collapse
The new malfunction occurs just a few days after the Guiteras was able to sync back with the SEN, following several days out of service for maintenance work and urgent repairs.
According to the UNE, the plant was reintegrated into the system at 2:51 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4, and an hour later it was already generating about 100 megawatts, according to statements from the technical director Román Pérez Castañeda to the newspaper Girón.
That return had been regarded as a relief, albeit a limited one, for a national electrical system that was facing demands exceeding 3,000 MW with a real availability of less than 1,300 MW, a situation that caused prolonged blackouts across the country.
The work carried out included the repair of a defect detected in the structure known as the Nodriza, located at the bottom of the boiler. The tasks, described by the provincial press as "complex and delicate," involved the removal of accumulated slag and the replacement of damaged tubes.
Despite achieving synchronization, the UNE did not report when the plant would reach its maximum load, estimated at around 250 MW. With this new output due to a crack in the boiler, that goal is once again postponed.
In recent months, the Guiteras thermoelectric plant has experienced multiple outages, both due to mechanical failures and issues with excessive water consumption, highlighting the widespread deterioration of Cuba's thermoelectric system. The lack of comprehensive maintenance, coupled with a shortage of spare parts and outdated technology, increasingly hampers the sustained operations of the country's generating plants.
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