MIAMI, United States.- Cuba’s Electric Union (UNE) announced new blackouts for this Sunday due to a generation capacity deficit of 23.5% during peak demand hours, the EFE news agency reported.
According to the report, during this day the deficit decreases again, unlike others this week, when that indicator exceeded 50% of the generation capacity. However, power outages are expected during the day.
The prolonged and uncomfortable blackouts of recent days have been affecting all the island’s provinces for months – including Havana since last August – with effects that have sometimes lasted up to 12 consecutive hours.
As reported by the UNE, it is planned for this Sunday that the generation capacity at peak hours will be 2,534 megawatts (MW) for a maximum demand of 3,000 MW, which represents a deficit of 466 MW.
Likewise, the state company estimates a maximum affectation of 350 MW during daytime hours.
This Saturday, the electricity service was affected throughout the day and the maximum impact was recorded at night with 670 MW, the company said.
Power outages – due to failures and breakages in outdated thermoelectric power plants (CTE), lack of fuel and scheduled maintenance – are becoming more frequent in the country.
According to the EFE note, this Sunday six generating units of several CTEs are out of service due to breakdowns and one is undergoing maintenance.
Data from the UNE collated by EFE revealed that in 60 of the 62 days of July and August there were blackouts throughout the country.
The Cuban regime seeks to reduce blackouts by the end of the year through repairs and new investments and to reduce dependence on fossil fuel, it projects that in 2030 37% of its energy mix (just over 3,500 megawatts) will come from renewable sources.
The blackouts affect all areas of the economy and notably the daily life of Cubans, and generate greater social discontent in the country, which is currently experiencing one of the worst crises in recent decades.
In recent weeks there have been several dozen protests like the ones in Nuevitas (east), with two consecutive nights of demonstrations.
Blackouts were one of the main reasons for anti-government protests on July 11 last year, the largest in decades.
Cuba relies heavily on foreign oil to produce energy (thermoelectric plants generate two-thirds of the electricity) and its main supplier, Venezuela, has notably reduced its shipments.
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