The "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes" thermoelectric plant in Cienfuegos, a key energy provider in Cuba, has kicked off safety valve tests as part of efforts to integrate with the National Electric System (SEN). According to official updates, technicians have ignited the boiler in Block 3 to conduct these important safety tests and to assemble part of the turbine's casing.
On Friday morning, during the testing process, they increased the pressure to trigger each valve as part of the assessment. "This is a supervised procedure, adhering to technological parameters and the scheduled timeframe," the specialists emphasized.
Back on January 22, a fire halted operations in Block 4, exacerbating the national electricity crisis during the winter months. The incident, caused by a boiler malfunction and accompanied by a large smoke plume visible from various points in Cienfuegos, highlighted the precarious state and risks within Cuba's thermoelectric infrastructure. Since then, the unit has been offline, and the current testing aims to bring it back into service after nearly three months of inactivity.
Meanwhile, the SEN is experiencing one of its most significant generation deficits. On Friday, the Cuban Electric Union released a daily report on the National Electric System's status (SEN), indicating that supply shortages could reach 1,800 megawatts (MW) during the peak demand period this evening.
This information underscores a chronic imbalance between electricity generation availability and consumption across the country, leading to prolonged outages since yesterday afternoon. For the evening peak, the UNE forecasts demand to reach 3,380 MW, with available capacity remaining at 1,650 MW. If these figures hold, the deficit will be 1,730 MW, with a total impact of 1,800 MW.
Such extensive blackouts will affect both industrial and domestic supply, resulting in hours-long interruptions nationwide. Currently, two units at the Mariel and Felton thermoelectric plants are out of order. Moreover, maintenance is scheduled for four blocks at the Santa Cruz, Cienfuegos, and Renté CTEs. Thermal limitations have taken an additional 399 MW offline.
Fuel shortages are impacting 104 distributed generation stations, equivalent to 725 MW, as well as the fuel plant in Mariel, with 50 MW not operational. The eight newly operational photovoltaic parks contributed a total of 986 MWh to the grid, which, although it provides some relief, is insufficient to cover the structural imbalance between generation and consumption.
Cuba's Energy Crisis and Thermoelectric Challenges
What caused the fire at Cienfuegos Power Plant in January?
The fire was attributed to a malfunction in the boiler, which was accompanied by a significant plume of smoke visible from multiple locations in Cienfuegos.
How is the current energy deficit affecting Cuba?
The energy deficit is leading to widespread blackouts, impacting both industrial and domestic electricity supply, with interruptions lasting several hours across the country.
What measures are being taken to address the energy shortfall?
Efforts include safety valve tests at Cienfuegos Power Plant and maintenance work at other facilities, but fuel shortages and thermal limitations continue to hinder progress.