Saturday's unexpected power outages and a bleak Sunday forecast suggest another dark end-of-year period for Cubans.
According to a report from the Electric Union (UNE), the entire day on Saturday experienced service interruptions beyond what was anticipated.
The peak impact due to a shortage in generation capacity reached 2013 MW at 6:30 PM, exceeding expectations due to the failure of unit 8 at the Mariel Power Plant to come online, the authorities admitted.
Power outages are continuing into Sunday. Projections show an available capacity of 1500 MW against a peak demand of 3450 MW, leading to a deficit of 1950 MW. If current conditions persist, the daily report from the UNE forecasts an impact of 1980 MW during this period.
This situation assumes no issues with the startup of unit 3 at the Santa Cruz Power Plant, expected to contribute 50 MW, which is currently in the startup phase.
Units experiencing breakdowns include unit 8 at the Maximo Gomez Power Plant and unit 2 at the Felton Plant. Scheduled maintenance is ongoing for unit 6 at the Mariel Plant, units 2 and 3 at the Santa Cruz Plant, and unit 4 at the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Plant in Cienfuegos.
The limitations in thermal generation have led to 546 MW being out of service.
Fuel shortages are affecting 93 distributed generation plants with a total of 875 MW, 108 MW at the Moa Fuel Plant, and an additional 81 MW are offline due to a lack of lubricants. Overall, this has resulted in 1064 MW being affected by these issues.
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis
What caused the power outages in Cuba?
The power outages were primarily caused by a deficit in generation capacity and issues with several power units not being operational, as well as ongoing maintenance and fuel shortages.
How significant is the power deficit in Cuba?
The power deficit reached up to 1950 MW, with outages impacting 2013 MW at peak times, indicating a severe shortfall relative to demand.
Which power units are affected by breakdowns and maintenance?
Units impacted by breakdowns include unit 8 at the Maximo Gomez Power Plant and unit 2 at the Felton Plant. Maintenance is ongoing for unit 6 at the Mariel Plant, units 2 and 3 at the Santa Cruz Plant, and unit 4 at the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Plant.