This Sunday, June 15, as Cuba commemorates Father's Day, the nation finds itself grappling with relentless power outages. On a day that families hoped to celebrate peacefully, the National Electric System (SEN) is experiencing a critical shortfall, with estimates indicating a deficit of up to 1,425 MW during peak hours, suggesting prolonged power cuts across the island.
The official report from the Cuban Electric Union (UNE) indicated that the outages persisted throughout Saturday, continuing through the early hours of Sunday. The maximum disruption recorded was 1,669 MW at 10:00 pm, which exceeded planned levels due to the failure to activate unit 5 of the Mariel thermoelectric plant and the Moa plant.
Growing Deficit and Critical Availability
As of 7:00 am on Sunday, the SEN's capacity stood at a mere 1,845 MW, compared to a demand of 2,948 MW, creating an immediate shortfall of 1,128 MW. Projections suggest this gap could widen to 1,200 MW by noon.
The outlook worsens towards peak times, with a projected maximum demand of 3,200 MW and no significant changes in availability, resulting in an estimated deficit of 1,355 MW and potential outages of up to 1,425 MW.
Underlying Causes of the Crisis
The national electric grid is currently plagued by various technical and logistical issues:
- Malfunctioning units at the Mariel and Felton thermoelectric plants.
- Four units under maintenance at the Santa Cruz, Cienfuegos, Diez de Octubre, and Renté plants.
- Thermal limitations: 387 MW out of service due to different technical problems.
Fuel Issues: A total of 645 MW is offline because of fuel shortages, affecting 70 distributed generation stations (446 MW), the Moa fuel plant (119 MW), and an additional 80 MW due to oil shortages in engines.
Limited Contribution from Renewable Energies
The 16 new solar photovoltaic parks contributed 1,653 MWh of energy on Saturday, reaching a peak output of 368 MW at midday.
National Impact
Given these figures, power outages are expected to persist nationwide this Sunday, significantly affecting daily life, including water supply, communications, and the operation of essential services.
The UNE has not provided any updates regarding potential improvements in power availability for the coming days, suggesting that the energy crisis might continue or even worsen in the weeks ahead. Meanwhile, Cubans are left to face another day filled with uncertainty and blackouts.
FAQ About Cuba's Energy Crisis
What are the main reasons for Cuba's power outages?
Cuba's power outages are primarily due to technical failures at major thermoelectric plants, ongoing maintenance of several units, thermal limitations, and significant fuel shortages.
How is the energy crisis affecting daily life in Cuba?
The energy crisis impacts daily life by disrupting essential services such as water supply, communications, and other basic utilities, leading to increased uncertainty and inconvenience for the populace.
Are there any solutions being implemented to address the energy crisis?
While some renewable energy initiatives are underway, such as solar photovoltaic parks, these efforts have not significantly alleviated the current energy deficit. No immediate solutions have been announced by the authorities.