Cuba's National Electric System (SEN) faces yet another dire situation this Thursday. According to an update from the Unión Eléctrica, the evening peak demand is expected to be severely impacted, with a shortage of 2,056 MW. The available capacity stands at a mere 1,014 MW, while the maximum demand is anticipated to reach 3,100 MW.
This shortfall suggests that approximately 66% of the country could experience simultaneous power outages, leaving vast areas without electricity.
Early Morning Struggles
The crisis began in the early hours: at 6:00 AM, the system reported only 856 MW available against a demand of 2,650 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,820 MW. By midday, Unión Eléctrica projected a continued shortfall of 1,550 MW.
Ongoing Deficits
Wednesday was no better, as the regime acknowledged that "service was affected by capacity deficits for 24 hours" and reported a peak deficit of 2,151 MW at 8:50 PM, with outages persisting throughout the night.
Root Causes of the Energy Crisis
The collapse stems from two main structural issues. First, thermal generation failures have sidelined units at several key power plants, including Máximo Gómez, Ernesto Guevara De La Serna, Antonio Guiteras, Diez de Octubre, and Lidio Ramón Pérez, accounting for 274 MW of lost capacity.
Second, a fuel shortage has paralyzed 106 distributed generation plants — a total of 890 MW — and rendered the Patana de Regla, Patana de Melones, and the Fuel plants at Mariel and Moa inoperative, resulting in 1,203 MW unavailable solely due to lack of fuel.
Minimal Relief in Sight
The only slight relief anticipated for the evening is the reactivation of Unit 1 at the Santa Cruz Thermoelectric Plant, contributing just 60 MW, a drop in the ocean compared to a deficit exceeding 2,000 MW.
The government's 54 solar photovoltaic parks contributed 4,859 MWh on Wednesday, with a peak power output of 784 MW during daylight hours. However, their contribution drops to zero during the night peak, precisely when demand is highest.
Historical Context of the Crisis
This ongoing energy crisis hit a historic peak on May 14, 2026, with a 2,174 MW shortage leaving 70% of the nation without power. The SEN has experienced at least seven total collapses in 18 months, including a nationwide blackout on March 16, 2026, the longest in Cuba's recent history, lasting 29 hours and 29 minutes without electricity.
Residents have endured outages lasting between 20 to 22 hours daily in Havana, while in provinces like Matanzas, some report stretches of up to 85 consecutive hours without power.
The government had already warned in December 2025 that 2026 would be a "difficult" year, with ongoing blackouts due to the irreversible deterioration of the system. Earlier this week, Unión Eléctrica predicted outages of 2,075 MW for peak hours, affecting 64% of the country, underscoring that the crisis shows no signs of abating.
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis
What is causing the severe power outages in Cuba?
The outages are primarily due to failures in thermal generation plants and a significant fuel shortage, affecting distributed power generation and rendering several plants inoperative.
How long have these power issues been affecting Cuba?
Cuba's power issues have been ongoing for at least 18 months, with multiple total system collapses, including a record blackout in March 2026.
What measures are being taken to alleviate the power crisis?
Efforts include reactivating some power units and utilizing solar photovoltaic parks, but these measures have been insufficient to meet demand during peak hours.