Massive blackout leaves half of Havana without electricity

A massive blackout left large areas of Havana without electricity on Friday after an automatic frequency shot (DAF) impacted several substations in the capital, amid a critical energy scenario in the country.

The official journalist Lázaro Manuel Alonso reported that the Electric Company of Havana confirmed disruptions at the substations in Plaza, Príncipe, Tropical, and Rincón (Boyeros), affecting the municipalities of Boyeros, Playa, Marianao, Plaza, Cerro, and Centro Habana.

According to the information provided, the primary malfunction may be located at the CUJAE substation, as specified by Lázaro Guerra Hernández, General Director of Electricity at the Ministry of Energy and Mines.

Cuban authorities assured that they are working to restore the service as soon as possible.

A system on the brink

The blackout occurs in the context of a severe electricity generation deficit. For the peak hours this Friday, Unión Eléctrica (UNE) had forecasted the activation of the Mariel fuel facility with 90 MW, five engines at the Regla site with 40 MW, and the completion of unit 1 of the Felton thermoelectric power station with 75 MW.

In that scenario, a capacity of 1,412 MW was estimated against a peak demand of 3,150 MW, which would represent a deficit of 1,738 MW and a projected shortfall of 1,768 MW during peak hours.

However, the electrical system once again demonstrated its fragility. At 9:59 a.m., the UNE reported the shutdown of Unit 1 of the CTE Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, which entered emergency free operation due to a failure in the speed regulator.

This incident prompted the DAF to take action in the system and affected an additional 44 MW that were in the process of being restored.

Citizen Discontent

The interruption of electric service in densely populated municipalities of the capital has raised concern and discontent among residents, who are already facing prolonged scheduled and unscheduled outages amid high temperatures and a shortage of basic services.

The national electrical system is undergoing a structural crisis characterized by frequent breakdowns in outdated thermoelectric plants, a lack of maintenance, and limitations in generation, which keeps the country facing historic capacity deficits.

So far, there has been no official report on the estimated time for the full restoration of service in the affected areas.