The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant has once again disconnected from Cuba's National Electric System due to a new boiler leak, as confirmed by the Electric Union (UNE) via their Facebook page in the early hours of Monday morning.
"In the early hours, the Antonio Guiteras power plant is out of service due to a boiler leak," the UNE reported in a brief statement.
This outage comes just three days after the plant was reconnected to the grid last Thursday, when the UNE had announced its return at 12:07 PM. This marks the 15th shutdown this year for the largest capacity plant in Cuba.
Electric System on the Brink of Collapse
The impact on the electrical system is both immediate and severe. According to UNE's report on Monday, the system's availability at 6:00 AM was a mere 995 MW, while demand soared to 2,620 MW, leaving 1,630 MW affected.
The previous day, Sunday, the situation was already dire: "The maximum impact due to generation capacity deficit yesterday was 1,882 MW at 9:50 PM," with blackouts lasting throughout the day.
For Monday's peak hours, the outlook is even bleaker. UNE forecasts a supply of just 995 MW against a peak demand of 3,050 MW: "For peak demand hours, availability is estimated at 995 MW with a maximum demand of 3,050 MW, resulting in a deficit of 2,055 MW. If conditions persist, an impact of 2,085 MW is expected during this time."
Multiple Simultaneous Breakdowns
The Guiteras plant is not alone in being out of service. According to the UNE report, Unit 6 of the Máximo Gómez plant, Unit 3 of the Ernesto Guevara De La Serna plant, Unit 2 of the Lidio Ramón Pérez plant, and Unit 3 of the Antonio Maceo plant are also experiencing breakdowns.
Scheduled maintenance is underway for Unit 5 of the Mariel plant, Units 5 and 6 of the Renté plant, and Unit 5 of the Nuevitas plant.
Adding to the woes is a severe fuel shortage: 106 distributed generation plants are offline due to lack of fuel, equating to 890 MW. Additionally, the Regla and Melones power barges, and the Mariel and Moa fuel plants are inoperative, totaling 1,203 MW unavailable solely due to fuel shortages.
Guiteras: A Decade and a Half Without Major Maintenance
This latest outage is not an isolated incident. The Guiteras plant returned to the grid last Thursday following its 14th breakdown of the year, which occurred on the morning of June 7, also due to boiler leaks.
The structural decay of the plant is a longstanding issue that authorities acknowledge but fail to address. Plant director Román Pérez Castañeda admitted in May that the Guiteras requires major maintenance lasting at least 180 days, with the last one performed in 2010, over 15 years ago: "The country's situation still does not allow it."
The Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, promised this maintenance by the end of 2025, postponed it in December citing a "temporary issue," and again promised in April for 2026 without a definitive date.
Solar Energy Falls Short
On Sunday, the 54 new solar photovoltaic parks contributed 3,070 MWh, with a peak output of 489 MW during midday.
However, their contribution remains inadequate to offset the structural deficit, especially during nighttime peak demand hours when solar generation is nonexistent, and demand peaks.
In Havana, blackouts have reached 20-22 hours daily in May and June 2026; in provinces like Granma, outages have exceeded 48 consecutive hours. The record deficit so far this year occurred on May 14: 2,174 MW, with only 976 MW available against a demand of 3,150 MW.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What caused the latest shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras plant?
The latest shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras plant was due to a boiler leak.
How has the shutdown of the Guiteras plant affected Cuba's power grid?
The shutdown has significantly strained Cuba's power grid, causing a major deficit between supply and demand, leading to widespread blackouts.
Why haven't major maintenance efforts been implemented at the Guiteras plant?
Despite acknowledging the need for significant maintenance, authorities have cited the country's precarious situation as a barrier to conducting necessary repairs.
Are solar energy solutions effective in addressing Cuba's energy needs?
While solar energy contributes to the grid, it is insufficient to meet demand, especially during nighttime peak hours when solar generation is not possible.