Cuban authorities announced on Saturday that the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant, the largest power generator in the country, has been reconnected to the National Electric System (SEN). A report from the Cuban Electric Union (UNE) highlighted that this synchronization occurred at 3:01 p.m. The report further mentioned that the synchronized unit is gradually increasing its power output. "Currently, the unit is progressively ramping up its power, and it's expected to reach 200 MW during the evening peak," stated the UNE.
The UNE also reported that the Nuevitas 6 Plant joined the SEN on Saturday, coming online at 1:00 p.m. "Both units are contributing 300 MW to the national grid, helping to reduce the time needed to generate capacity," they confirmed.
Last Monday, the Guiteras Plant was disconnected from the SEN for what authorities described as "planned maintenance." Despite the plant's reconnection, the UNE warned that the country continues to face a severe energy deficit. As of 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, the SEN's availability was only 1,810 MW, while the demand stood at 2,840 MW, resulting in a capacity deficit of 1,089 MW. By midday, a deficit of 1,040 MW was expected.
Challenges Facing Cuba's Power Supply
The primary issues affecting the system include the malfunction of unit 2 at the Felton Thermoelectric Plant, along with maintenance work on four other generating units at the Santa Cruz, Cienfuegos, Guiteras, and Renté plants. Additionally, UNE reported 397 MW out of service due to thermal limitations, compounded by fuel shortages that have left 65 distributed generation plants inoperative, leading to an estimated loss of 458 MW.
For the nighttime peak, a partial recovery is anticipated with the restart of the Guiteras unit (200 MW), the integration of unit 6 from the Nuevitas Plant (100 MW), and the restoration of 70 MW from diesel plants currently halted due to fuel shortages. Nevertheless, the projected availability will be 2,180 MW against a peak demand of 3,350 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,170 MW. The UNE anticipates an impact of up to 1,240 MW during this period.
Although 11 new solar photovoltaic parks have been inaugurated across the country, contributing 1,131 megawatt hours (MWh) to the system, this input remains insufficient to alleviate the overall deficit.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What caused the Antonio Guiteras plant to go offline?
The Antonio Guiteras plant was taken offline for planned maintenance according to Cuban authorities.
How severe is the current energy deficit in Cuba?
Cuba is experiencing a significant energy deficit. As of the latest report, availability was 1,810 MW with a demand of 2,840 MW, creating a deficit of 1,089 MW.
What are the main challenges affecting Cuba's power grid?
The main challenges include a malfunctioning unit at the Felton plant, maintenance work at other plants, thermal limitations, and fuel shortages.