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There is no relief for Cubans. The Electric Union of Cuba anticipates blackouts of up to 2,040 MW this Saturday during peak hours, amid a generation deficit exceeding 2,000 MW that deepens the country's energy crisis.
The National Electric System (SEN) continues to operate under significant restrictions. According to the official report released this Saturday, the previous day the service experienced a deficit -blackouts- for 24 hours, with a maximum impact of 1,977 MW recorded at 7:10 PM, exceeding what was planned due to the late entry of Unit 3 from the Cienfuegos thermoelectric plant.
For Saturday's session, the system availability at 6:00 AM was 1,120 MW against a demand of 2,450 MW, leaving 1,326 MW of unmet demand from the early hours of the day. During peak hours, an impact of 1,250 MW is expected.
The situation worsens during the night hours. Authorities expect a supply of 1,120 MW against a peak demand of 3,130 MW, which would create an imbalance of 2,010 MW and is expected to lead to blackouts estimated at 2,040 MW if the predicted conditions hold.
The electrical system also faces multiple technical failures, part of a widespread structural deterioration. Among the main reported incidents are breakdowns in Unit 5 of the Mariel thermoelectric plant; Units 1 and 2 of Santa Cruz; Unit 2 of Felton; and Units 3 and 6 of the Antonio Maceo thermoelectric plant.
Maintenance work is also being added at Unit 6 of Mariel, Unit 5 of Nuevitas, and Unit 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes power plant in Cienfuegos, the report indicates.
There are also 336 MW out of service due to limitations in thermal generation, which further reduces the system's response capacity.
Although the government has promoted the installation of new photovoltaic solar parks, which produced 4,119 MWh this Friday, with a maximum capacity of 600 MW at midday, this generation is insufficient to offset the overall decrease in system capacity.
The energy situation has made the daily living conditions of the population dramatic. On social media, citizens report days without electricity or water.
Laura, a Cuban mother, recently shared that she had been without electricity for four consecutive days, which also affected the water supply in her home, making her family's domestic routine extremely challenging. She is just one of the thousands of mothers and fathers on the Island who have to work "magic" to support their households under such difficult circumstances.
The deterioration of the electrical service has been generating protests across various points in the country for months. Residents of the El Vaquerito neighborhood in Morón, Ciego de Ávila, held a pan protest that quickly turned into a loud protest on the night of this Friday to denounce the prolonged blackouts affecting the area.
The demonstration, which reached a great intensity and impact, included the burning of objects belonging to the municipal headquarters of the Communist Party, a political body that in Cuba consolidates, along with the armed forces and the government, totalitarian power over society.
Manifestations were also reported in the municipality of Unión de Reyes, in Matanzas, where residents protested after being without electricity for over 45 consecutive hours, a situation that left many families without access to water due to the halt of the pumping systems.
"How long will this struggle for survival last, with daily blackouts, no food, and no transportation?" ask hundreds of users on social media.
The country's authorities, quick to suppress protests, do not provide coherent responses or feasible solutions to the deep crisis. On the contrary, they continue to organize bland "revolutionary reaffirmation" events.
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