On Tuesday morning, around 9:00 AM, the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant in Matanzas experienced another breakdown due to a leak found in the boiler, as announced by Cuba's Electric Union (UNE) on social media. The UNE estimated it would take about 96 hours to bring the plant back online with the National Electric System (SEN), meaning it will be out of service for at least four days.
The official source did not provide further details regarding the plant's sudden departure from the SEN. The Guiteras plant had only returned to the National Electric System in the early hours of Friday, July 25, after a previous malfunction, following another shutdown for maintenance.
UNE's announcement on July 29 came shortly after the daily report on power outages, which indicated a lack of 1,992 MW even before the Guiteras shutdown, raising concerns about what to expect in the coming hours.
Power Deficit and Solar Generation Challenges
On Tuesday morning at 7:00 AM, the National Electric System's availability was a mere 1,650 MW, compared to a demand of 3,070 MW, leaving 1,447 MW without service. Before the Guiteras plant went offline, the midday forecast predicted an impact of 1,480 MW, while the nighttime peak was expected to face a shortage of 1,922 MW with an estimated impact of 1,992 MW.
Despite the contribution of 24 new solar photovoltaic parks, which generated 2,513 MWh on Monday and reached a maximum power of 503 MW at noon, this output is insufficient to meet the growing demand.
UNE reports state that several units are currently out of service due to malfunctions: Unit 3 of Santa Cruz, Unit 4 of Energás Varadero, Unit 6 of the Renté thermoelectric plant, and Unit 2 of the Felton thermoelectric plant. Additionally, three units are under scheduled maintenance: Unit 2 of Santa Cruz, Unit 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes thermoelectric plant in Cienfuegos, and Unit 5 of the Renté plant.
Thermal limitations have also kept 409 MW offline, and the ongoing fuel shortage continues to affect 94 distributed generation plants (797 MW) and three engines from the Regla barges (28 MW), totaling 825 MW compromised due to insufficient fuel supply.
Repeated Failures of the Guiteras Plant: "How Long Will This Last?"
The Guiteras plant, as the largest single unit in Cuba, boasts a generation capacity of over 200 megawatts, making its shutdown a significant blow to the national electric grid. The plant suffered a major failure in the early hours of Sunday, July 20, and was expected to be offline for at least 72 hours—a timeline that proved overly optimistic as it did not resume operations until the early hours of Friday, July 25.
Now, with another failure at the Matanzas thermal power plant, compounded by the issues at Energás and the persistent fuel scarcity, the situation is teetering on the brink of collapse, as many users on social media have already predicted.
Understanding Cuba's Power Outage Crisis
What caused the latest shutdown of the Guiteras power plant?
The latest shutdown of the Guiteras power plant was caused by a leak detected in the boiler.
How long is the Guiteras plant expected to be offline?
The plant is estimated to be offline for approximately 96 hours, or at least four days.
What is the impact of the Guiteras plant shutdown on Cuba's power supply?
The shutdown of the Guiteras plant significantly reduces the national electric grid's capacity, contributing to a power deficit and increased outages.