Eight thermoelectric units out of service predict return of blackouts in Cuba

AREQUIPA, Peru – Despite the greater availability of oil for energy production and a temporary improvement in electrical service in the last couple of weeks, blackouts on the Island are once again beginning to appear due to the existence of eight generation units outside service.

The Electrical Union of Cuba (UNE) in its latest report indicates that the third unit of the Santa Cruz del Norte Thermoelectric Plant stopped operating; the fifth in Nuevitas and the second in Felton due to breakdowns.

Likewise, he pointed out that the first unit in Santa Cruz del Norte, the sixth in Nuevitas, the fifth in Renté, as well as the sixth and eighth in Mariel do not provide service as they are under maintenance.

The panorama is even more complex because 32 distributed generation plants are out of service due to lack of fuel and the departure from the country of one of the six patanas of the Turkish company Karadeniz Holding that provided services in support of electricity production .

In this context, the UNE estimates for this Friday’s peak hour an availability of 2,315 megawatts (MW) and a maximum demand of 2,600 MW, for a deficit of 285 MW. If the expected conditions continue, an impact of 355 MW is forecast during this time.

Although the energy situation on the Island had shown signs of stability in recent days, after overcoming critical periods during the summers of 2021 and 2022, the beginning of the new period has been marked by a notable decrease in energy generation capacity. , which has been, in turn, one of the main causes of the wave of protests unleashed on the Island last March.

Cuba’s electrical infrastructure is in a deep state of deterioration, with frequent breakdowns in its antiquated plants, due to a lack of sustained investment and adequate maintenance. Furthermore, added to this is the drop in the import of the necessary fuel due to lack of foreign currency.

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