Related videos:
Cuba continues to face an electricity crisis that has left millions of residents at the mercy of widespread blackouts, a reflection of the government's inefficiency in ensuring a reliable energy supply.
According to a statement from Unión Eléctrica (UNE), electrical service was interrupted for 24 hours due to capacity shortages, also affecting the early hours of this Wednesday.
The maximum impact due to generation deficit reached 1,917 MW at 7:10 PM, leaving a large part of the country without electricity during critical times.
At 6:00 am this Wednesday, the availability of the National Electric System (SEN) was only 1,180 MW, while demand reached 2,250 MW, with 1,050 MW affected.
At the half-hour mark, it was estimated that the impact remained around 1,050 MW, demonstrating that the country is unable to achieve a balance between generation and consumption.
During peak hours, a supply of 1,180 MW is anticipated against a demand of 3,100 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,920 MW, which could lead to blackouts nearing 1,950 MW if conditions do not improve.
The overview of the incidents highlights the lack of proper maintenance and the aging of the generating fleet.
Four units are out of service due to malfunction, distributed among the plants of Mariel, Felton, and Antonio Maceo, while three others from the Mariel, Nuevitas, and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes plants in Cienfuegos are undergoing maintenance.
Additionally, thermal generation has limitations of 460 MW out of service, which accentuates the system's vulnerability in the face of demand.
The 51 new photovoltaic solar parks managed to contribute 4,332 MWh with a maximum capacity of 741 MW, which is insufficient to offset the lack of thermal generation.
In the capital, the situation was particularly serious. The Electric Company of Havana reported that on Tuesday, the service was interrupted for 19 hours and 20 minutes, with the highest impact of 325 MW recorded at 7:10 PM.
It was necessary to affect 60 MW due to an emergency, and at the close of the report, six blocks and emergency circuits, equivalent to 270 MW, remained disconnected, with a forecast for restoration only in the morning.
The company warned that the impact from the energy contingency continues without a set schedule and will depend on the availability of the SEN.
The recurring and prolonged electricity shortage reflects the Cuban government's inability to maintain the energy infrastructure and ensure essential basic services.
While the population faces severe restrictions, the dependence on renewable sources such as solar energy, still in its early stages, barely alleviates the crisis.
The persistence of blackouts of this magnitude underscores the urgency for structural measures that go beyond improvisation and the reliance on limited generation.
Filed under: