This Saturday, Cuba faces yet another day of extreme power outages. The Electric Union's latest report predicts a peak time availability of just 1,015 MW against a demand of 3,150 MW, resulting in an estimated shortfall of 2,135 MW and a projected impact of 2,165 MW.
Friday was marked by a complete breakdown. Power was out for the entire 24 hours due to capacity shortages, including throughout the night, with a peak disruption of 2,149 MW recorded at 7:50 PM.
By 6 AM on Saturday, the situation remained dire: only 1,015 MW were available against a demand of 2,730 MW, leaving 1,718 MW without service.
The Fuel Crisis Exacerbates the Blackout
The shortage of fuel is the most crippling factor in this collapse. A total of 106 distributed generation plants are offline due to a lack of diesel, representing a loss of 890 MW.
When adding the strategic facilities that are shut down—such as the Patana de Regla, the Patana de Melones, the Mariel Fuel Plant, and the Moa Fuel Plant—the unavailable megawatts due to this reason amount to 1,203 MW.
Further compounding the issue are thermal generation failures. Affected units include Unit 6 at CTE Máximo Gómez, a unit at CTE Antonio Guiteras, Unit 6 at CTE Diez de Octubre, and Unit 2 at CTE Lidio Ramón Pérez, taking 298 MW out of the grid. Additional units are undergoing scheduled maintenance.
Emergency Repairs at Key Facilities
CTE Antonio Guiteras, the country's largest generating plant, remains under emergency repair. Its official Facebook page reported Saturday that, following the cooling process, access to the damaged area was granted and the faulty tubes were identified for repair.
This marks the 16th breakdown the plant has suffered so far in 2026, and it has gone 16 years without a major overhaul, with damages reported in over 500 economizer tubes.
Renewable Energy's Limited Impact
The 54 solar photovoltaic parks installed by the regime contributed 4,788 MWh on Friday, with a peak output of 731 MW at noon. However, this generation does not cover the nighttime peak demand, and the system lacks storage batteries, rendering its impact on nighttime outages negligible.
This weekend's crisis comes just two days after Cuba recorded an all-time high electrical deficit: a maximum impact of 2,208 MW on June 25 at 8:50 PM. Communities in Matanzas experienced up to 85 consecutive hours without power during that period.
Structural and Geopolitical Roots of the Fuel Shortage
The fuel scarcity has deep structural and geopolitical roots. Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy acknowledged on May 13, as reported by CNN en Español, that oil reserves were "practically depleted" and that "we have absolutely no diesel."
Russian oil donations received in late March were exhausted by early May, and an Executive Order signed by Trump on January 26, 2026, imposing tariffs on countries selling crude to Cuba, disrupted the Venezuelan supply.
Experts estimate that restoring Cuba's electrical system would require between $8 billion and $10 billion and three to five years of work, a prospect the regime is unable to tackle as Cubans remain in the dark.
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis
What is causing the current power outages in Cuba?
The power outages are primarily caused by a significant deficit between electricity supply and demand, exacerbated by a lack of fuel and maintenance issues at power plants.
How is Cuba addressing its fuel shortage?
Cuba is struggling to address the fuel shortage due to depleted reserves and geopolitical challenges, including tariffs affecting imports from countries like Venezuela.
What solutions are available for Cuba's electrical system?
Experts suggest that revamping Cuba's electrical system would require significant financial investment and time, estimated at $8 to $10 billion and three to five years of work.