Cuba is grappling with an enduring energy crisis, with no signs of improvement on the horizon. On Monday, June 23, the Unión Eléctrica (UNE) reported continuous power outages across the country, persisting into the early hours today. According to the official update on social media by the state-run company led by Alfredo López Valdés, the peak outage recorded on Sunday reached 1,650 MW at 9:50 PM, coinciding with the nightly surge in demand.
Despite repeated official assurances of service stabilization, the persistent data highlights a chronic and structural issue: insufficient thermal generation, outdated technology, fuel shortages, and a manifest inability of the infrastructure to sustain the country's minimum demand.
Critical Condition with No Relief in Sight
The UNE reported that as of 7:00 AM on Monday, the availability of the National Electric System (SEN) was 1,750 MW, against a demand of 3,000 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,297 MW in the early hours. By midday, an impact of 1,250 MW was expected, and during the evening peak, with a projected demand of 3,550 MW, the deficit was anticipated to rise to 1,700 MW, with a predicted impact of 1,770 MW.
In this scenario, authorities are banking on the potential startup of unit 6 of the CTE Mariel, offering a mere 100 MW, which is insufficient to alter the overall forecast. Meanwhile, units 6 and 8 of Mariel and unit 2 of Felton remain offline due to malfunctions, and three others (Santa Cruz, Cienfuegos, and Renté) are still under maintenance.
The Paradox of Solar Power Amid Blackouts
Furthermore, 96 distributed generation plants remain out of service due to fuel shortages, totaling 738 MW, with an additional 79 MW offline due to oil shortages. Altogether, 817 MW are unusable in this segment.
Though the recently installed 16 photovoltaic solar parks contributed 1,803 MWh yesterday and reached a peak of 402 MW, their contribution remains marginal against a SEN that is hemorrhaging daily.
With rising temperatures and summer in full swing, the reality for Cubans is summed up in heat, darkness, mosquitoes, and despair. Each day sees between 12 and 24 hours without electricity, with brief power "flickers" that aren't sufficient to preserve food or allow for rest.
A Downward Spiral
The daily reports from UNE are repeated with millimetric precision: unexpected outages, prolonged maintenance, growing deficits, and no new units to stabilize the system.
This Monday marks the third consecutive day where impacts exceeding 1,700 MW during peak hours are reported, nearing record figures like the 1,880 MW on Saturday, the second-largest impact in the country's electrical history.
For citizens, the situation is untenable. Social media, in both official and independent spaces, reflects the exhaustion: complaints of outages lasting more than 24 hours, inequalities between provinces and circuits, and a discredited and repetitive official information system.
“The UNE recites a litany of excuses, but the country remains in darkness,” writes one user. Another comments: “How long will we survive without truly living?” Cuban families no longer expect improvements; they merely strive to survive one more day.
The Cuban electrical system is experiencing an unparalleled crisis in decades. Far from stabilizing, the impacts are becoming chronic, and each official report seems to confirm the imminent collapse that many citizens already claim to be experiencing.
Meanwhile, the people continue to bear the consequences of an ineffective, outdated, and non-transparent energy policy.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What is causing the energy crisis in Cuba?
The energy crisis in Cuba is primarily caused by insufficient thermal generation, outdated technology, fuel shortages, and an inadequate infrastructure that cannot meet the country's minimum electricity demand.
How are solar parks contributing to Cuba's energy supply?
Recently installed photovoltaic solar parks have contributed to Cuba's energy supply, but their impact remains limited. Despite generating 1,803 MWh and reaching a peak of 402 MW, their contribution is marginal compared to the overall demand.
What measures are being taken to address the power outages?
Authorities are attempting to bring additional units online, such as unit 6 of the CTE Mariel, but the capacity added is insufficient to significantly change the energy outlook. Ongoing maintenance and repairs are being conducted on other units.