The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, recognized as the largest power generation facility in Cuba, once again exited the National Electric System at 11:05 p.m. on Sunday, mere hours after being reconnected. This information comes from journalist José Miguel Solís, referencing the Cuban Electric Company (UNE).
The plant's latest shutdown is attributed to a leak in the front wall of its burners.
Located in Matanzas, the plant had managed to reconnect to the grid on Sunday, the 27th, producing a modest 150 MW as technicians worked to "stabilize parameters," according to a post by the plant itself on Facebook. Unfortunately, this reconnection lasted less than a day.
This brief rejoining followed weeks of extensive repairs due to the eighth nationwide blackout of the electric system, which occurred on September 18. This incident led to additional damage in the plant's boiler economizer, which the facility's general manager, Román Pérez Castañeda, described as "punctures in several points of the steam generator."
The cooling process of the boiler took nearly 72 hours before maintenance teams could begin repairs. On September 23, another leak was found during a hydraulic test, further delaying the restoration efforts.
According to the UNE report released on Monday, the Guiteras plant remains out of service, alongside unit three of the Cienfuegos Thermoelectric Plant (CTE), unit two of the Felton CTE, and unit six of the Renté CTE. Three other units are currently undergoing scheduled maintenance.
The energy situation on Monday is dire: at 6:00 a.m., the system's availability was 1,045 MW against a demand of 2,647 MW, resulting in 1,599 MW being affected. Thermal generation limitations are at 362 MW.
On Sunday, the maximum outage reached 1,953 MW at 9:00 p.m., with power cuts continuing throughout the entire day, including the early morning hours. The only partial relief came from solar photovoltaic parks, contributing 4,327 MWh with a peak output of 673 MW at midday.
In 2026, the Guiteras plant has already experienced at least 17 unplanned interruptions, with its boiler economizer—operating for 38 years without capital maintenance since 2010—being the most frequent cause of these failures. In July, the plant managed to stay connected to the system for only 26 minutes before shutting down again due to a malfunction.
For Monday's peak hours, the UNE forecasts a system availability of 1,160 MW against a maximum demand of 3,130 MW, leading to a projected deficit of 1,970 MW. The official report warns, "if current conditions persist, an impact of 2,000 MW is expected during this time," signaling another long day of power outages for millions of Cubans.
Impact of Antonio Guiteras Plant Shutdown on Cuba's Energy Supply
What caused the recent shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras plant?
A leak in the front wall of the burners caused the recent shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras plant.
How does the shutdown of the Guiteras plant affect Cuba's electricity supply?
The shutdown significantly impacts Cuba's electricity supply, as it contributes to a substantial deficit between availability and demand, leading to widespread power outages.
What has been the most common cause of failures at the Guiteras plant?
The most common cause of failures at the Guiteras plant has been issues with the boiler economizer, which has been in operation for 38 years without major maintenance since 2010.