Rubén Campos Olmo, general director of the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant (CTE) in Matanzas —the most important generating plant in Cuba— has been promoted to the national leadership of the National Electric Union (UNE).
The appointment, announced on their social media by the Municipal Assembly of People's Power of Matanzas, was made known during the ceremony celebrating the 38th anniversary of the institution, when the workers dedicated an emotional farewell speech to him.
The news has generated disbelief among Cubans, highlighting the irony that the person in charge of a plant that has experienced multiple failures, widespread blackouts, and chronic breakdowns is now rising to lead the entire national electric system, at the worst moment of the island's energy crisis.
At the time of publishing this note, there has been no information regarding the fate of the previous director of the UNE, Alfredo López Valdés.
Under the management of Campos Olmo, who has been at the helm of Guiteras since at least 2020, the plant has experienced a series of disasters. In July 2025, a failure in the boiler that had not received major maintenance in 35 years was detected.
In September of that year, a false signal of overheated vapor pressure triggered the automatic shutdown of the plant and a total collapse of the National Electroenergetic System (SEN). By December, it was operating at a limited capacity of between 170 and 180 MW, well below its installed capacity of 330 MW.
On March 6, 2026, a pipe rupture in the boiler caused a new massive disconnection that affected approximately six million people from Camagüey to Pinar del Río, including Havana.
Just ten days later, on March 16, Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout that left 68% of the island without electricity for nearly 30 hours, with a supply of only 1,140 MW compared to a demand of 2,347 MW.
Campos himself had acknowledged in September 2025, during a visit by President Díaz-Canel to the plant, that "capital maintenance should be conducted every 7 to 8 years according to technical standards, but the last one was performed 15 years ago."
At the anniversary event, an employee delivered a speech on behalf of the collective, describing Campos as someone who "knew every valve, every piece of equipment, and most importantly, every man and woman who makes them work" and stated that "keeping the lights of Cuba on is not just a job, it is a mission."
The text also stated: "We are pleased that you are now putting all that knowledge and heart at the service of the Electric Union, because we know that where you are, the sector is in good hands."
Campos himself, in his remarks during the event, urged those remaining at the plant to "redouble their efforts, take care of the plant" with the most comprehensive approach possible and to "love this plant."
Cuba is experiencing its worst historical electrical crisis in 2026, with generation deficits of between 1,200 and 2,000 MW daily and six nationwide blackouts in just 18 months.
Campos' rise to the top of the national electric system is, for many Cubans, a faithful reflection of the logic with which the regime manages the energy disaster that the population endures.
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