On Friday, Cuba is grappling with a new wave of extensive power outages, facing an estimated shortfall of over 1,100 megawatts (MW). The situation is exacerbated in the eastern region, which has been completely cut off from the National Electric System (SEN) following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
The National Electric Union (UNE) reported that electrical service was disrupted throughout Thursday and continued to be unstable into the early hours of today.
At 7:10 p.m., the power generation deficit reached a peak of 1,283 MW. In addition, 640 MW were reported offline from the provinces spanning from Las Tunas to Guantánamo due to the hurricane's destruction.
The new solar photovoltaic parks, numbering 21 and located in the western and central parts of the island, generated 1,241 MWh, delivering a maximum capacity of 212 MW. This output was insufficient to offset the loss in thermal and distributed generation.
As of 6 a.m., the SEN had an available capacity of 1,410 MW against a demand of 1,828 MW, resulting in a 528 MW shortfall. By midday, the estimated shortfall increased to 700 MW.
Critical Infrastructure Failures
Key system failures include a malfunction in Unit 2 of the Felton Thermoelectric Power Plant, along with scheduled maintenance in Unit 2 of the Santa Cruz plant and Unit 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes plant in Cienfuegos. In total, 595 MW are out of service due to limitations in thermal generation.
The UNE also highlighted issues arising from fuel and lubricant shortages. A total of 58 distributed generation plants are offline, accounting for 447 MW, with an additional 155 MW unavailable due to a lack of lubricant. Overall, 602 MW are impacted by these shortages.
During peak demand hours, it is expected that 50 MW from currently idle distributed generation, stalled due to fuel shortages, will be brought online. This would bring availability to 1,460 MW against a peak demand of 2,530 MW, leaving a deficit of 1,070 MW and an estimated shortfall of 1,140 MW.
Severe Eastern Power Crisis
The situation is particularly dire in the eastern part of the country. The UNE confirmed that provinces from Las Tunas to Guantánamo will remain without power for at least 15 days due to extensive structural damage inflicted by Hurricane Melissa on the transmission lines.
According to Holguín's Ahora newspaper, technicians have identified significant damage in the infrastructure linking the eastern provinces to the national system, preventing an immediate restoration of service.
The state-owned company noted that recovery efforts would depend on weather conditions and the availability of technical resources, potentially prolonging the outage period.
In Havana, the Electric Company reported a maximum impact of 158 MW at 7:40 p.m. on Thursday, with service restored by 11:00 p.m. and no further interruptions overnight.
Cuba continues to endure a severe energy crisis marked by equipment failures, inadequate maintenance, fuel shortages, and a deteriorating infrastructure, all worsened by Hurricane Melissa's impact on the eastern part of the island.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What is causing the widespread power outages in Cuba?
The power outages in Cuba are primarily caused by a shortfall in power generation capacity, equipment failures, lack of maintenance, fuel shortages, and the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which severely damaged infrastructure in the eastern region.
How long will the eastern provinces of Cuba be without electricity?
The UNE has indicated that the eastern provinces will be without electricity for at least 15 days due to severe damage to transmission lines caused by Hurricane Melissa.
What measures are being taken to address the power outages?
Efforts to address the power outages include attempting to bring idle distributed generation online and repairing damaged infrastructure, though these efforts are hampered by fuel shortages and technical resource constraints.