The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant, the largest electricity generation facility in Cuba, is expected to remain disconnected from the National Electric System (SEN) until at least Friday, October 2, according to technical sources from the facility who spoke to official Cuban media.
Complex Repairs Required for Reheater Malfunction
The outage is due to a malfunction in the high-temperature reheater (RAT) of the boiler, where technicians have identified six defects needing extensive repairs. Román Pérez Castañeda, the plant's general manager, detailed the necessary work, which involves cutting and replacing damaged pipes, welding, metallographic checks, and a final hydraulic test before attempting to restart the plant.
“Currently, workers are cutting and replacing the damaged pipes in this area, which precedes welding and routine control tests before the planned restart, potentially occurring at some point next Friday,” Pérez Castañeda informed the Cuban News Agency (ACN).
Encouraging News: No Leaks Found in Economizer
Elmer García Romero, the technical deputy director of the unit, provided a piece of information considered hopeful by authorities. According to Radio 26, García Romero confirmed that a hydraulic test was conducted, showing no leaks in the water walls or the economizer, the component that had frequently malfunctioned throughout 2026.
This finding suggests the economizer, which had previously caused numerous issues, is not contributing to the current problems, potentially simplifying ongoing repairs.
Recent Challenges Leading to the Current Situation
Guiteras was disconnected from the SEN at 11:05 PM on Sunday, just hours after a reconnection attempt with only 150 MW, as technicians struggled to stabilize the system. An immediate cause was a leak in the burner front wall, with the RAT malfunction discovered in a subsequent inspection.
This reconnection followed weeks of accumulated repairs after the eighth complete SEN blackout on September 18, which caused additional damage to the economizer, described by Pérez Castañeda as "punctures in various points of the steam generator."
Cooling the boiler took nearly 72 hours, and an additional leak on September 23 further delayed repair efforts.
Ongoing Deterioration of the Guiteras Plant
Since being inaugurated in 1988, the Antonio Guiteras Power Plant has not undergone major maintenance since 2010. In 2026 alone, it has faced at least 17 unplanned outages, including an incident in July where it managed to stay online for just 26 minutes before going offline again.
A permanent solution would necessitate a shutdown lasting approximately 180 days to replace around 500 tubes and perform between 1,000 and 1,200 welding joints, as explained by the director of the Electric Union in June. Authorities have admitted that such an intervention is unfeasible given the current economic conditions.
National Electric System Under Pressure
The shutdown of the Guiteras plant exacerbates the already dire electrical crisis affecting the Cuban population. As of this Tuesday, the SEN's availability was only 1,060 MW, against a recorded demand of 2,461 MW, with a predicted deficit of 1,990 MW during peak hours.
On September 29, other units were also out of service: Unit 3 of CTE Cienfuegos, Unit 2 of CTE Felton, and Unit 6 of CTE Renté, further reducing the available capacity to meet demand while the system awaits the results of final tests on the RAT.
Understanding the Guiteras Power Plant Outage
What caused the latest shutdown of the Guiteras Power Plant?
The shutdown was caused by a malfunction in the high-temperature reheater (RAT) of the boiler, where six defects were found needing complex repairs.
How long will the Guiteras Power Plant remain offline?
The plant is expected to remain offline until at least Friday, October 2, as technicians work on extensive repairs.
What impact does the shutdown have on Cuba's electricity supply?
The shutdown exacerbates Cuba's electrical crisis, with the SEN facing a significant deficit during peak demand hours due to the loss of Guiteras and other units being offline.