On October 15th, Cuba woke up to a dire energy situation that continues to plague the nation. The electric service faced continuous disruptions throughout the previous day and into the early hours of the morning. Complaints from citizens surged on social media and platforms like ToDus and Telegram, with provinces such as Matanzas, Villa Clara, and Havana reporting severe, unscheduled blackouts with unpredictable durations.
Journalist José Miguel Solís highlighted that Matanzas, already grappling with a severe health crisis, hit a "maximum outage." This term indicates that the energy demand far surpassed the available generation capacity. The province experienced a deficit of 130 MW, leaving thousands of families without a clear timeline for the restoration of services. Meanwhile, Villa Clara faced an even greater shortfall of 160 MW, affecting numerous residential circuits and rural areas.
In Havana, the situation was similarly dire. The capital endured a 13-hour power outage from the afternoon until 5:30 a.m. the following day. The maximum impact in Havana reached 223 MW at 7:30 p.m. The state-run company reported that they could not adhere to the planned schedule due to low generation availability.
Unexpected Failures and System Collapse
The chaos in the energy sector was largely due to the unforeseen shutdown of units 3, 4, and 6 at Energás Jaruco, a major power plant, after an emergency trip in the feedwater pump. This breakdown left the National Electric System (SEN) in a critical state. Nationwide, the peak impact on October 14th was 1,914 MW at 7:10 p.m., exceeding projections because of these unit outages and the combined cycle at Energás Jaruco.
While 32 new solar photovoltaic parks contributed 2,875 MWh during the day, with a peak power of 549 MW at noon, this alternative generation was insufficient to offset the accumulated deficit from the thermal system, Cuba's main energy source.
A System on the Brink: SEN Data at Dawn
As of 6:00 a.m. on October 15th, SEN reported an availability of 1,774 MW against a demand of 2,864 MW, resulting in a direct impact of 1,085 MW. During peak consumption, a maximum demand of 3,380 MW is forecasted, with only 1,884 MW available, leading to a 1,496 MW shortfall. The anticipated impact could reach 1,566 MW during peak hours, according to the official report from the Union Eléctrica (UNE).
Key issues affecting today's power availability include:
- Breakdowns in units 2 at CTE Felton, 8 at Mariel, 5 at Diez de Octubre, and 3 at Renté.
- Scheduled maintenance at units in Santa Cruz and Cienfuegos.
- Thermal limitations keeping 374 MW offline.
- Fuel problems affecting 50 distributed generation plants, reducing availability by 341 MW.
- Lack of lubricants, leaving another 156 MW unavailable.
In total, these conditions negatively impact 497 MW, further exacerbating the crisis.
The Race Against Time for Recovery
The Union Eléctrica announced that on Wednesday morning, Unit 1 of CTE “Lidio Ramón Pérez” (Felton) began starting up and is now online, increasing load. Additionally, 50 MW are expected to be added via distributed engines, along with the return of Unit 5 of CTE Nuevitas with an additional 60 MW. However, these figures still fall short of stabilizing the system.
Havana's electric company urged the public to stay informed through official channels—Telegram, WhatsApp, ToDus, X, and Facebook—and the Call Center 18888. Yet, many users agree that the information often arrives late, is unclear, or is outright inaccurate.
“At the Mercy of What SEN Decides”
A recurring phrase in official statements is that outages "will depend solely on SEN's requirements," which practically means there's no real guarantee for the blackout schedule. This situation fuels frustration and despair among citizens, who watch their quality of life decline amid nights without fans, spoiled food, and children and the elderly suffering from the heat.
Stories abound: mothers unable to cook for their children, seniors lacking access to refrigerated medications, and students struggling to study under these conditions. Online, people are demanding answers while UNE and provincial Electric Companies offer statistics but fail to provide solutions.
Cuba's energy situation is experiencing one of its worst crises in recent years. Persistent breakdowns, lack of maintenance, fuel shortages, and structural deficiencies in the system have placed the country in a state of extreme vulnerability. Even with the installation of more solar panels or the reactivation of generating units, without a clear, sustained, and participatory structural solution, power outages will continue to be a daily reality for millions of Cubans.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What are the main causes of the current energy crisis in Cuba?
The main causes include unexpected breakdowns, a lack of maintenance, fuel shortages, and structural deficiencies in the energy system.
How is the Cuban government addressing the power outages?
The government is attempting to bring more generating units online and add capacity through distributed engines, but these efforts are insufficient for stabilizing the system.
Are alternative energy sources helping alleviate the crisis?
While solar photovoltaic parks are contributing to the grid, their output is not enough to address the significant shortfalls from the thermal system.
What is the impact of these power outages on Cuban citizens?
Power outages are severely affecting the quality of life, leading to spoiled food, inability to use essential appliances, and general discomfort, particularly for vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.