Another breakdown, this time in Unit 1 of the CTE Lidio Ramón Pérez (Felton), by “Salidero in Caldera”, adds tension to the precarious National Electro -Roman System (SEN), which before the new inconvenience would already experience an affectation of 1570 MW in the peak schedule.
“The steam evacuation and cooling process is proceeded to access the area” while “specialists and technicians evaluate causes that caused breakdown”, according to Cubadebate.
In today, the Electric Union (UNE), attached to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, calculated that the affectation for the schedule, without this breakdown, would be 1570 MW. According to Cubadebatethe decomposed block stable 230 MW.
Among the main causes of the energy crisis that the country is going through are, according to the Government, the frequent breakdowns in the thermal plants of more than 40 years of exploitation and the fuel deficit. He also recognizes that he has no currencies to meet the needs.
The crisis is reflected in the four national blackouts that have affected the electrical service in less than six months. The last one was almost two weeks ago, when most of the nearly 10 million Cubans were without service a weekend.
In February of this year the highest deficit rate was recorded so far from 2025 -and in at least the last two years -, with 57 % of the country off at the same time. According to estimates EFEbefore the new failure today’s affectation would be 45%.
The UNE report also informs that several electricity generation engines are out of service due to lack of diesel or fuel.
Independent experts point out that the energy crisis responds to a chronic infinance of this sector, completely in the hands of the Cuban state since the triumph of the revolution in 1959. The Cuban government highlights the effects in this sector of US sanctions.
Various independent calculations estimate that the government would need between 8000 and 10 billion dollars to refloat the electricity grid.
The frequent blackouts have the Cuban economy, which contracted 1.9 % in 2023 and did not grow last year, according to estimates of the government itself. According to these figures, the GDP of the island remains below the 2019 levels and will not exceed this 2025, for which the Executive provides for a 1 %advance.
In this drama the worst part is carried by the Cuban population, which suffers from the normalization of blackouts of more than 20 hours in a row, amid the no less deep economic crisis.