After more than ten years of delays and unfulfilled promises, the wind farm La Herradura Uno in Las Tunas province is finally preparing to install its turbines, according to a Facebook post by Cubadebate.
Carlos Arias Sobrino, head of the Electric Company in Las Tunas, stated that the initial phase will include 22 turbines that can collectively produce a maximum of 34 megawatts (MW).
This capacity falls short of the original blueprint, which envisioned 34 turbines generating 51 MW. However, Arias Sobrino noted that expanding to the full project scope remains a possibility.
The Energy and Mines Minister, Vicente de la O Levy, announced in late April that the wind farm would be completed within the year. "This year the Herradura 1 wind energy park in Las Tunas will be finished [...] we intend to start erecting the towers by the end of April," he stated, as reported by Granma.
First introduced in 2012 as Cuba's largest wind farm, it was to be located along the northern coast of Jesús Menéndez municipality.
In January 2018, EFE news agency forecasted that the complex would commence operations by the end of that year with a combined goal of 101 MW between La Herradura 1 and La Herradura 2. Yet, deadlines have been repeatedly missed.
By June 2024, Granma had to clarify that "the construction of the Herradura I wind energy project has not stopped," a statement that implicitly highlighted the project's incompletion.
In January 2025, Periódico 26 reported that the civil works were "almost finished," and turbine assembly was expected to begin that year, another unfulfilled assurance.
The announcement sparked a wave of sarcasm on social media, reflecting public frustration with the government's chronic delays in infrastructure projects.
"Over a decade... more like 15 years," one user commented.
Alvaro Pereyra bluntly remarked, "Haha, a decade at a standstill!!!! That's 'revolutionary efficiency' for you."
Lizyani Lopez quipped about "waiting a decade for the trade winds in Wonderland," while Jose Dayron Almaguer reminisced, "I'm 40 and remember when they started the work; I was just a teenager."
The delay occurs amidst a structural electricity crisis that in 2025 saw generation deficits exceeding 2,100 MW, with blackouts lasting over 20 hours daily in parts of the country.
Cuba aims to source 24% of its electricity from renewable resources by 2030, with wind energy contributing 656 MW through 14 wind farms—a target that seems increasingly distant given the slow progress at La Herradura Uno.
Key Questions on La Herradura Uno Wind Farm
What is the current capacity of La Herradura Uno wind farm?
In its first phase, La Herradura Uno will have 22 turbines capable of generating a maximum of 34 MW.
Why has the wind farm faced so many delays?
The project has been plagued by a series of unfulfilled promises, incomplete works, and chronic delays common in Cuba's infrastructure projects.
What are Cuba's renewable energy goals?
Cuba aims for 24% of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030, including 656 MW from wind energy across 14 wind farms.