Nine thermal power units down keep Cuba in blackout: This is the forecast for today

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Cuba wakes up this Tuesday to a critical electrical situation that shows no signs of improvement.

The country will again face widespread blackouts throughout the day, with a deficit that could exceed 1,800 MW during peak nighttime hours, according to the official forecast.

Far from easing, the energy crisis persists: nine thermoelectric units are out of service, and generation capacity remains well below national demand.

The outcome is predictable: long hours without electricity in almost the entire territory, including Havana, where outages are already nearing 14 hours a day.

According to the latest Information Note from the Electric Union (UNE), service was impacted yesterday due to a capacity deficit for 24 hours, and the disruption has continued into the early hours of today.

The most critical moment of the previous day was recorded at night, when "the maximum impact due to a generation capacity deficit yesterday was 1,773 MW at 8:40 PM."

Already on the morning of this Tuesday, the situation remains complex.

At 6:00 a.m., the system availability was only 1,125 MW compared to a demand of 2,150 MW, leaving 1,042 MW unmet.

By midday, the impact is expected to reach 1,100 MW.

The deterioration of the SEN is directly related to multiple failures in the country's main power plants. In total, nine thermoelectric units remain out of service, due to breakdowns and maintenance.

Among the most significant incidents reported by the UNE are:

Failures in units 5 and 8 of the CTE Mariel.

Failures in units 1 and 3 of the CTE Santa Cruz.

-Departure from Unit 2 of the CTE Felton.

-Problems in units 3 and 6 of the CTE Antonio Maceo.

This is compounded by maintenance work at unit 6 in Mariel and unit 5 in Nuevitas, along with limitations in thermal generation that render another 402 MW out of service.

The result is a fragile system, unable to meet demand during peak consumption times.

An even more critical nighttime peak

The forecast for the peak hours this Tuesday anticipates an even more challenging scenario.

According to UNE, "it is expected that the peak will have a capacity of 1125 MW with a maximum demand of 2950 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1825 MW."

As a result, "if the projected conditions persist, an impact of 1,855 MW is expected during this timeframe", which means widespread and prolonged blackouts throughout the country.

Havana: Almost 14 hours without electricity

In the capital, the situation isn't improving either.

The Electric Company of Havana reported that "yesterday, the electrical service was interrupted in Havana for 13 hours and 57 minutes," with a maximum impact of 380 MW during the night hours.

Furthermore, it was necessary to implement additional cuts: "it was necessary to affect 70 MW due to EMERGENCY" and "it was NOT possible to restore the service due to Deficit".

At the end of the report, five blocks, equivalent to 170 MW, were still without service, with a forecast for recovery in the morning.

However, the company warned that the outages will continue without defined schedules, as "the impact on the blocks and circuits due to Energy Contingency, without a scheduled time, depends on the availability conditions of the SEN."

Source: Facebook Screenshot/Havana Electric Company

Reconnection without Relief: Citizen Discontent Grows

The crisis is worsened by the contrast between official announcements and daily reality.

The recent reconnection of the SEN, which reconnected the western electrical system to the eastern one, has not resulted in a tangible improvement for the population.

After a week marked by two complete system failures, blackouts continue with the same intensity.

On social media, numerous Cubans have expressed frustration and hopelessness over the ongoing power outages.

The situation reveals deep structural problems: aging thermoelectric plants, lack of fuel, and an energy infrastructure that fails to meet the country's demand.

Meanwhile, the forecast for this Tuesday confirms that there will be no immediate relief. Cuba remains under blackout.

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CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.