State electricity predicts simultaneous blackouts in about 58% of Cuba this Tuesday

The state-owned company Unión Eléctrica (UNE) forecasts blackouts this Tuesday throughout the day that will affect nearly 58% of Cuba simultaneously during the hours of greatest energy demand in the afternoon-evening. The island is going through an energy crisis, which has worsened since the middle of last year, due to constant breakdowns in the thermal power plants – with decades of accumulated exploitation – and the lack of foreign currency to import the fuel to produce electricity. Several regions of the country are suffering daily blackouts that exceed 20 hours, leading to a standstill of the country’s economic and social life. The crisis has also caused five national blackouts in just twelve months.

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The UNE, belonging to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, forecasts for the “peak” time of the day in the evening a generation capacity of 1,469 megawatts (MW) and a maximum demand of 3,400 MW. The deficit -the difference between supply and demand- will be 1,931 MW and the estimated impact -what will actually be disconnected to avoid disorderly blackouts- will reach 1,961 MW, according to the UNE. Currently, seven of the 16 operational thermoelectric production units are out of service due to breakdowns or maintenance. These energy sources should provide 40% of the energy mix. Also, 94 distributed generation plants (engines) and the Moa fuel plant (east) are not operating due to lack of fuel (diesel and fuel oil), while a dozen engines are stopped due to lack of lubricant. This source should account for 40% of the energy mix. Independent experts point out that this energy crisis is due to chronic underfunding of the sector, completely in the hands of the State since the triumph of the revolution in 1959. For its part, the Cuban government points to the impact of US sanctions on this industry and accuses Washington of “energy asphyxiation”. The prolonged daily blackouts are hampering the economy, which has contracted by 11% in the past five years and will also close in the negative this year. They have also been the trigger for the main protests of the last five years.