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The energy crisis in Cuba continues to worsen. The Electric Union (UNE) reported this Tuesday that the country is facing a generation deficit close to 2,000 megawatts (MW) during peak hours, a figure that confirms the sustained collapse of the National Electric System (SEN) and predicts prolonged outages throughout the territory.
According to the official statement, for the peak demand period, a availability of only 1,134 MW is forecasted, against an estimated demand of 3,100 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,966 MW.
"The entity indicated that if the expected conditions remain, an impact of 1,996 MW is forecasted for this time."
Blackouts lasting for 24 consecutive hours
The UNE also acknowledged that the electric service was affected throughout the entire day yesterday. “Yesterday, the service was impacted due to capacity deficiency for 24 hours, and the disruption has continued into the early hours of today,” stated the information note.
The highest recorded impact was 1,880 MW at 6:40 PM, one of the highest values reported in recent months.
Critical situation since the morning
The report details that at 6:00 a.m., the availability of the national electrical system was barely 1,050 MW, while the demand reached 1,947 MW, with 929 MW impacted early on.
For midday, an even greater impact was anticipated, around 1,150 MW, reflecting that the problem is not limited to peak hours but extends throughout the entire day.
Breakdowns, malfunctions, and plants out of service
Among the main incidents exacerbating the crisis, the UNE reported multiple thermal power plants out of service or under maintenance, including:
Breakdowns:
Unit 5 of the Mariel CTE
Unit of the CTE Antonio Guiteras
Unit 2 of the CTE Felton
Unit 6 of the CTE Antonio Maceo
Scheduled maintenance:
Unit 5 of the CTE Nuevitas
Unit 4 of the CTE Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (Cienfuegos)
Furthermore, 378 MW are reported out of service due to limitations in thermal generation.
Insufficient solar promises
The report also mentions the production of the so-called "new photovoltaic solar parks," one of the regime's propaganda efforts to justify a supposed energy transition.
According to the UNE, the 49 solar parks produced 4,112 MWh, with a maximum power output of 767 MW during midday hours.
However, these figures remain insufficient in the face of a national deficit that far exceeds 1,900 MW.
A country paralyzed by the lack of energy
The outlook confirms that Cuba is experiencing one of its worst electrical crises in decades, with prolonged blackouts affecting daily life, the economy, transportation, and essential services such as hospitals and production centers.
As the regime announces "contingency plans" and new austerity measures, Cubans are facing a scenario increasingly reminiscent of a repeat of the Special Period: a country in the dark, without fuel and without structural solutions in sight.
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