The Electric Union (UNE) announced on Tuesday that the completion of planned maintenance at several thermoelectric plants will allow for the reintegration of about 400 MW to the country's base generation during July, although the agency itself acknowledged that this increase will not be sufficient to meet national demand, as reported by the Caribbean Channel.
The original plan, outlined at the beginning of the year, envisioned that four key units—Guiteras, Céspedes 3 and 4 in Cienfuegos, and Felton 1—would collectively contribute 600 MW in July and August.
However, unexpected failures in the Guiteras and Céspedes 4 thermoelectric plants disrupted the schedule, reducing expectations by half.
But it is not the only cause. According to Edier Guzmán Pacheco, director of Thermal Generation at UNE, the lack of fuel for distributed generation further exacerbates the situation and has forced the postponement of maintenance for the units.
The forecast is that by July, six units will be ready to synchronize with the SEN: Mariel 6 and Nuevitas 6 (90 MW each), and Santa Cruz 3, Renté 5, Renté 6, and Mariel 5 (60 MW each).
"In total, the six units designed to synchronize in July are expected to restore around 400 megawatts to the nation," enthusiastically stated journalist Bernardo Espinoza.
The Guiteras plant remains a critical case. The most important plant in the country, with a capacity of 330 MW, has failed 16 times so far this year. Its economizer has been in operation for 38 years and is experiencing recurring issues.
The UNE executive acknowledged the seriousness of the situation without providing a definitive solution: "Why don't we replace it? Why don't we change it completely? Changing it entirely takes time and we are on the brink of summer. It is true that this component is 38 years old, but we can't just say we will make it new, we will change it, even if we have the resources."
"We changed half of it, and it became a solution. The other half has not failed; it could start to fail. Even in the ones we have worked on, that is where it is failing," he admitted.
The announcement comes at the worst energy moment in Cuba's recent history. The electrical deficit exceeded 2,208 MW on June 25, an absolute record that left nearly 70% of the national territory without simultaneous electricity.
For this Wednesday, the projected deficit for peak hours was 2,075 MW, with a availability of only 1,148 MW against a demand of 3,200 MW.
The impact on the population is devastating. In Matanzas, some communities endured up to 85-87 consecutive hours without electricity in June.
In Havana, outages average between 20 and 24 hours daily. On Monday, residents of Salud Street in Centro Habana held a pot-banging protest after more than 28 hours without electricity, gas, or water.
The regime attributes the crisis to the "energy siege" imposed by Washington, referring to Executive Order 14380 signed by Donald Trump on January 29, 2026, which imposes secondary sanctions on countries that supply fuel to Cuba.
The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts recorded 1,311 protests last May, the highest number since July 11, 2021, in a context of growing social discontent that prolonged blackouts only serve to intensify.
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