Thursday brought more trouble for Cuba's beleaguered electrical system as Unit 3 at the Antonio Maceo Thermoelectric Plant, also known as Renté, in Santiago de Cuba, was taken offline due to a technical glitch, according to the Cuban Electric Union (UNE).
The state-run organization reported on its official X account that at 3:09 PM, Unit 3 at the Antonio Maceo 'Renté' CTE was removed from service on an emergency basis due to instrumentation failure.
Earlier in the day, UNE announced a new partial collapse of the National Electric System (SEN), which resulted in widespread power outages across Cuba. This comes at a time when the nation is bracing for potential rains and strong winds from Tropical Storm Melissa.
As millions of Cubans endure darkness and a lack of information from authorities, the UNE admitted to another "partial failure" without providing a clear explanation, leaving the public in a state of uncertainty.
On Facebook, UNE mentioned a "partial disconnection of the SEN" and noted that investigations were underway to determine the cause. However, the vague and brief statement only fueled further frustration among citizens.
The situation worsened as large areas of Havana were plunged into darkness due to the partial SEN collapse. Extensive regions of the capital and other provinces were left without power on Thursday.
The Havana Electric Company reported on Facebook that a "load oscillation of the SEN" triggered a DAF trip, affecting the substations of Plaza, Tropical, Príncipe, and Naranjito, and disrupting a "significant number of circuits."
The company's brief statement provided no details, merely stating that efforts to restore service were underway "once the cause of the unexpected event is identified."
According to industry experts, a load oscillation happens when energy generation and demand fall out of sync, causing abrupt fluctuations in the system's electrical frequency. Such imbalances can stem from generator malfunctions, overloads, or variations within the transmission network, potentially triggering automatic disconnections to prevent further damage.
These "unexpected events" occur against a backdrop of a forecasted generation capacity deficit of 1,725 MW. However, Friday's news headlines are likely to highlight "an impact greater than planned."
Understanding Cuba's Electrical Challenges
What caused the shutdown of Unit 3 at the Renté power plant?
Unit 3 at the Renté power plant was taken offline due to a failure in its instrumentation, which required an emergency shutdown.
How did the electrical issues affect Havana?
A load oscillation within the National Electric System (SEN) led to power outages that affected several substations in Havana, causing significant disruptions across the city.
What is a load oscillation in an electrical system?
A load oscillation occurs when there is a loss of synchronization between energy generation and demand, resulting in sudden changes in electrical frequency that can lead to automatic disconnections to prevent damage.