The ongoing energy crisis in Cuba shows no sign of relief as evidenced by the 1,660 MW of power outages experienced by island residents this past Friday, surpassing the 1,580 MW initially predicted by the state-run Electric Union (UNE). In its Saturday report, the agency announced that two additional thermal power units have been taken offline: Unit 1 at CTE Santa Cruz due to a malfunction, and Unit 6 at CTE Nuevitas for maintenance.
Despite the shutdown of these units, the forecast for power cuts today is slightly less severe than yesterday's figures, with an expected peak-hour shortfall of 1,481 MW. The daily report of Cuba's energy chaos indicates that disruptions began as early as 5:07 a.m. on Friday due to insufficient power generation capacity.
The situation worsened during peak demand times, and full service was not restored by early this morning, extending the inconvenience for users. As of 7:00 a.m. on November 30, the National Electric System (SEN) had a capacity of 1,695 MW available against a demand of 2,280 MW, resulting in a deficit of 635 MW.
For daytime outage projections, a shortage of roughly 900 MW is anticipated. Three thermal power units are currently out of service: Unit 5 at CTE Mariel, Unit 1 at CTE Santa Cruz, and Unit 2 at CTE Felton. Additionally, five units are under maintenance: Unit 2 at CTE Santa Cruz, Units 3 and 4 at CTE Cienfuegos, Unit 6 at CTE Nuevitas, and Unit 5 at CTE Renté. These constraints in thermal power generation amount to a total of 316 MW.
Furthermore, 55 distributed generation plants are offline due to fuel shortages, affecting 306 MW. The floating power plant in Santiago de Cuba, which contributes 65 MW, is also impacted, bringing the total to 371 MW affected by these issues.
Current and Future Energy Challenges
Looking ahead to peak hours, there is an expected availability of 1,769 MW against a maximum demand of 3,180 MW, leading to a projected deficit of 1,411 MW. If conditions remain unchanged, this would mean an estimated 1,481 MW affected. To alleviate this, 24 MW are anticipated to be added through the activation of two engines at the Santiago de Cuba floating power plant, alongside the reactivation of Unit 1 at Energas Boca de Jaruco and completion of the combined cycle, which would contribute an additional 50 MW.
The outlook for the SEN remains dire, with ongoing limitations in both thermal and distributed generation, compounded by significant malfunctions in several key units, further straining the system's ability to meet high consumption demands.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cuba's Power Outages
What is causing the current power outages in Cuba?
The outages are primarily due to insufficient power generation capacity, technical malfunctions in thermal power units, maintenance issues, and a lack of fuel for distributed generation plants.
How long are the power outages expected to last?
The duration of the outages is uncertain and depends on the restoration of malfunctioning units and the availability of fuel for distributed generation plants.
What measures are being taken to address the power shortages?
Efforts include reactivating power units, adding additional capacity through floating power plants, and completing combined cycle operations to increase power availability.