Cuba's electrical grid is facing one of its most challenging periods this year, with widespread outages affecting the island for 24 hours on Monday and continuing into Tuesday. The Cuban Electric Union (UNE) has reported that the situation worsened following the unexpected shutdown of the Energás Varadero combined cycle plant and Unit 3 of the Santa Cruz thermoelectric plant, further exacerbating the power generation shortfall.
Increasing Deficit and Insufficient Solar Generation
As of 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the National Electric System (SEN) had a mere 1,650 MW available, compared to a demand of 3,070 MW, leaving 1,447 MW unmet. By midday, an estimated shortfall of 1,480 MW was anticipated, with the evening peak forecast being even more dire: a deficit of 1,922 MW and an estimated impact of 1,992 MW.
Despite contributions from 24 new solar photovoltaic parks, which delivered 2,513 MWh on Monday and reached a peak power of 503 MW at noon, this output falls short of meeting the rising demand.
Multiple Units Offline and Fuel Shortages
The UNE reports that several units are currently out of service, including Unit 3 of Santa Cruz, Unit 4 of Energás Varadero, Unit 6 of CTE Renté, and Unit 2 of CTE Felton. Additionally, three units are undergoing scheduled maintenance: Unit 2 of Santa Cruz, Unit 4 of CTE Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in Cienfuegos, and Unit 5 of CTE Renté.
Thermal limitations have kept 409 MW offline, and fuel shortages continue to impact 94 distributed generation plants (797 MW) and three engines of the Regla barges (28 MW), totaling 825 MW compromised due to fuel scarcity.
Critical Breakdown at Energás Varadero
On Monday, the Energás Varadero combined cycle plant's exit from the system reduced its already limited contribution to the SEN by 30 MW. Before the malfunction, the unit was generating slightly over 90 MW, but following the breakdown, it was reduced to just 60 MW.
Julio Betancourt, the plant's director, explained that the issue lies with the generator's exciter, a crucial component currently under evaluation to determine when it can be reintegrated into the system. Energás Varadero has an installed capacity of 100 MW and operates using gas associated with oil, supplied by the Central Drilling and Extraction Company.
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis
What is causing the current power outages in Cuba?
The power outages are primarily due to unexpected shutdowns of key power plants, a growing deficit between power supply and demand, and insufficient contributions from solar energy.
How is the fuel shortage affecting power generation in Cuba?
Fuel shortages are impacting the operation of distributed generation plants and engines on barges, leading to an additional 825 MW of power generation being compromised.
What role do solar photovoltaic parks play in Cuba's power supply?
Solar photovoltaic parks contribute to the power supply, delivering 2,513 MWh recently, but their output is not enough to meet the increasing energy demand across the island.