Energy Disparities: Spain Recovers from Massive Blackout While Cuba Faces Severe Power Deficit

While Spain is making significant efforts to restore electricity to millions of its citizens within hours after a massive blackout hit shortly after noon on Monday, Cuba remains in a much more dire situation. The island nation is barely coping with a prolonged energy crisis, as the Cuban Electric Union works tirelessly to prevent the National Electric System from collapsing under the weight of generation deficits.

According to a statement released Monday on Facebook by the Cuban Electric Union, the country has experienced service disruptions over the past 24 hours, with the critical situation persisting into the early hours today. The highest reported outage on Sunday was 1,450 MW at 8:20 p.m., coinciding with peak demand hours.

Despite efforts in renewable energy production, the solar photovoltaic parks generated only 984 MWh, insufficient to counteract the accumulated deficit. Currently, power generation availability stands at 1,887 MW against a demand of 2,580 MW, leading to an ongoing shortfall of 752 MW. By midday Monday, the Electric Union forecasts an impact of 980 MW.

Looking towards peak hours, the outlook is even more concerning: a mere 1,947 MW is expected to be available against a potential demand of 3,300 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,353 MW and an estimated impact of 1,423 MW. This scenario underscores Cuba's fragile energy situation, where prolonged blackouts have become a daily reality.

Challenges in Energy Infrastructure

In stark contrast to Spain, which is managing the recovery of its electric grid with modern infrastructure and immediate response resources, Cuba faces increasing difficulty in stabilizing its service due to generation failures, outdated plants, and a lack of investment.

An example of Cuba's energy crisis occurred last Friday in Cienfuegos, where blackouts were almost widespread due to the simultaneous maintenance of the local thermoelectric plant and fuel shortages. During a broadcast on the Perlavisión telecenter, sector directors explained that the lack of fuel led to the shutdown of several distributed generation sites, resulting in high deficit levels nationwide and massive impacts in the province.

The "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes" Thermoelectric Plant in Cienfuegos, one of the country's main power generation sources, also began safety valve tests last Friday to start and sync with the National Electric System. According to official channels, technicians ignited the boiler of block 3 to conduct the necessary safety valve checks and assemble part of the turbine casing; however, as usual, this development will not resolve the ongoing crisis that causes widespread discontent.

In Havana, for instance, public outrage has reached critical levels after repeated failures to comply with blackout schedules announced by the Havana Electric Company, leading to protests, social media complaints, and growing frustration among citizens affected by longer-than-promised power outages.