Havana, September 26 – Cuba‘s national electric system continues to face notable challenges, with a peak deficit of 1691 MW recorded at 9:30 p.m. yesterday, impacting service across the country. Despite a substantial contribution from newly commissioned solar parks,ongoing issues with generation capacity and fuel availability are driving widespread affectations.
The situation underscores Cuba’s ongoing struggle to modernize its aging power infrastructure and secure reliable energy sources. While 31 new photovoltaic solar parks have begun operation, generating a total of 3260 MWh and delivering a peak of 662 MW, these gains are currently insufficient to offset existing deficits. The impact is especially acute as the country heads into peak demand hours.
As of 6:00 a.m. today, September 26th, the System National Electric (SEN) availability stood at 1870 MW against a demand of 3020 MW, resulting in a generation deficit of 1175 MW. An average affectation of approximately 980 MW is anticipated throughout the day.
Key factors contributing to the current shortfall include:
1. Operational incidents: Unit 2 at the CTE Felton plant is currently out of service.
2. Planned maintenance: Units 1 and 2 at the Santa Cruz CTE, and Unit 4 at the CTE Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (Cienfuegos) are undergoing scheduled maintenance.
3. Thermal limitations: 492 MW of generating capacity is unavailable due to thermal constraints.
4.Fuel and lubricant shortages:
· 56 distributed generation facilities are inoperative, representing a loss of 460 MW.
· A lack of lubricant is rendering 153 MW of capacity unusable.
· The combined impact of fuel and lubricant issues totals 624 MW.
Forecasts indicate a potential recovery of 80 MW in distributed generation as fuel supplies are replenished. However, even with this advancement, projections for the peak demand period tonight remain concerning.
Projected Peak Demand scenario:
· Availability: 1950 MW
· maximum Demand: 3550 MW
· Estimated Deficit: 1600 MW
Authorities forecast a service affectation of 1670 MW during the night peak if current conditions persist. Cubadebate will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.
