The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant once again highlighted the dire state of Cuba's energy infrastructure this past Friday. It synchronized with the National Electric System at precisely 4:54 p.m., only for the state-run Unión Eléctrica to announce its disconnection a mere 26 minutes later, at 5:20 p.m., due to a boiler leak.
The official statement from the state-run entity was brief: "At 17:20 hours, CTE Antonio Guiteras, offline due to boiler leak."
This brief synchronization was noted by state journalist José Miguel Solís, who commented, "Guiteras 4:54 p.m. online."
The rapid sequence of events—connecting and disconnecting in less than half an hour—sparked a wave of sarcastic and frustrated reactions on social media. Cubans turned the incident into a subject of mockery, with comments ranging from dark humor to outright indignation.
"It didn't last even an hour connected. Please, don't connect it again; it can't handle it, and you'll save time," one user remarked. Another calculated precisely, "26 minutes online," and a third concluded, "This record should be recorded."
Public Outcry and Skepticism
Several commenters questioned whether the plant had been properly inspected before attempting to synchronize. "I don't know how they're not embarrassed: automatic failure followed immediately by a boiler leak," noted one individual.
Another was more direct about the equipment's condition: "Everyone knows that boiler can't take it anymore; it needs a major overhaul. Stop trying what can't be done."
Frustration was also directed at the ongoing cycle of brief operations and shutdowns. "Give it the four-month repair it needs, which couldn't be done due to the weakness of the National Electric System. Let it go offline once and come back with at least one or two months of stability," suggested a user.
Offering a sarcastic piece of advice to the UNE, another user said, "Next time it goes online, don't announce it. Keep it a secret for an entire day to see if it works well... then publish it, if it survives 24 hours." Many concluded that the situation is "a mockery to the people."
Pattern of Recurring Failures
This Friday's incident is not isolated. The Guiteras plant had already gone offline on Thursday due to another boiler leak linked to the fifth total collapse of the National Electric System on July 15. On July 11, a system-wide collapse abruptly halted its startup process just as it was about to synchronize.
So far in 2026, the plant has experienced at least 17 unscheduled outages, with the economizer of the boiler causing half of these shutdowns.
The component has been in continuous operation in a corrosive environment for over 38 years, and the facility hasn't received a major maintenance overhaul since 2010.
Promises and Reality
In March, a failure of the Guiteras plant led to a widespread blackout affecting between six and seven million people from Camagüey to Pinar del Río. In May, another failure left half of Cuba in darkness, affecting 1,790 MW.
Unión Eléctrica has announced plans to cease operations at the plant by the end of 2026 for a comprehensive six-month review. However, after years of broken promises and a repeating pattern of breakdowns, repairs, brief synchronizations, and new failures, the credibility of this announcement among Cubans is virtually nonexistent.
Understanding the Challenges of Cuba's Energy System
What caused the latest shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras plant?
The latest shutdown was caused by a boiler leak, which occurred shortly after the plant synchronized with the National Electric System.
How many times has the Guiteras plant gone offline in 2026?
As of now, the plant has experienced at least 17 unscheduled outages in 2026, with issues primarily related to the economizer of the boiler.
Why is there skepticism about the announced maintenance review?
There is skepticism because the population has witnessed years of unfulfilled promises and a consistent pattern of failures, repairs, and brief operational periods followed by new failures.