The Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Thermoelectric Plant, located in Santa Cruz del Norte, Mayabeque, has been completely removed from Cuba's National Electric System (SEN) as of Friday morning. The shutdown occurred at 8:55 AM due to an oil leak in the turbine bearing of unit 2, as stated by the Electric Union (UNE) on their social media channels.
This latest technical failure means that all three units of the facility—collectively capable of producing 295 MW—are offline. Unit 1 has been out of service since an October 16 fire, unit 2 has just been incapacitated due to the current mechanical issue, and unit 3 is undergoing maintenance.
Worsening Energy Crisis
The power plant's shutdown exacerbates an already critical energy crisis. According to UNE's daily report for Friday, as of 6:00 AM, the SEN had only 900 MW available against a demand of 2,142 MW, meaning 1,245 MW were already impacted.
The outlook for the evening is even bleaker: UNE forecasted that during peak demand hours, the available capacity would remain at 900 MW, versus a demand of 2,800 MW. This results in a shortfall of 1,900 MW, with an estimated 1,930 MW affected—leaving only 32% of the country's energy needs met.
National Power Struggles
The day before, the electrical service was disrupted for a full 24 hours, including overnight outages, with a peak impact of 1,920 MW recorded at 7:00 PM.
The Ernesto Guevara plant is not the only facility experiencing simultaneous failures. Friday's report also cited issues with the Antonio Guiteras plant in Matanzas—the largest in Cuba—out of service since Wednesday due to a leak in the economizer. Additionally, unit 2 of the Felton plant and unit 6 of the Renté plant are out of operation.
Located in Holguín, the Felton plant, with a total capacity of approximately 510 MW, is also completely inoperative. Its unit 1 began a scheduled 21-day maintenance on Monday for boiler cleaning, while unit 2 remains broken.
Historical Decline and Struggles
The Ernesto Guevara plant has shown signs of accelerated decline over 2026. Built with Soviet technology and completed in 1991, it has experienced 349 documented incidents, with recurring malfunctions in all three units throughout the year. On March 21, all units failed simultaneously; unit 1 faced interruptions in February, April, and May; and on July 9, unit 2 went offline due to an economizer leak, preceding the current breakdown.
The October 16 fire, sparked by an oil leak on the front of unit 1's rotor, marked the latest chapter in the plant's deterioration. Although the fire was extinguished without casualties, unit 1 has been non-operational for nearly a month.
While photovoltaic solar parks contributed 2,220 MWh on Thursday with a peak output of 345 MW, these sources are inactive at night, when Cuba experiences the most severe shortages and prolonged blackouts.
The maximum power deficit in November has increased progressively: 1,764 MW on the ninth, 1,816 MW on the tenth, 1,883 MW on the eleventh, and 1,920 MW on the twelfth. With the Ernesto Guevara plant entirely offline, UNE predicts that Friday night's deficit could reach 1,930 MW, surpassing all recent records for the month.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What is causing the energy crisis in Cuba?
The energy crisis in Cuba is primarily due to the failure and maintenance issues of key thermoelectric plants, including the Ernesto Guevara and Antonio Guiteras plants. These issues have led to a significant shortfall in electricity supply compared to demand.
How much power does the Ernesto Guevara plant generate?
The Ernesto Guevara plant has an installed capacity of 295 MW, but all units are currently offline due to mechanical failures and maintenance.
What are the implications of the plant's shutdown?
The shutdown of the Ernesto Guevara plant further exacerbates Cuba's energy crisis, leading to more frequent and prolonged blackouts and affecting the country's overall power supply.