Cuba received a new donation from China consisting of eight structures of 1.8 megawatts of maximum power each, destined to reinforce the capacity of the Guanábana power plant, in Matanzas.
Delivery occurs at a time when The island faces blackouts up to twenty hours a day in several regionsaccording to the Official Gazette Granma.
The equipment, diesel fed, will allow almost completely rehabilitating that installation and reaching a generation of between 25 and 30 MW.
According to Mario Pedroso, director of the Electrogen and Electrical Services Company of the Electric Union (UNE), Its main advantage is that they can quickly start in total blackout situationsa scenario that the country has repeatedly lived in the last year.
The official plan contemplates extending the installation of similar equipment in Havana, Artemis and Ciego de Ávila, although no additional details were offered, the agency said EFE.
This cooperation It adds to other recent donations from Beijingas electrical components and complete photovoltaic parks, which seek to support the country in the midst of the energy crisis.
China help to energy crisis in Cuba
The situation began to be aggravated in August 2024, with recurring failures in the thermoelectric aging and limitations to import fuel.
Heavy rains in the West and floods in Havana, on a record of records record
Since then There have been five national blackoutsthe most recent on September 10, whose recovery took several days.
Although the Cuban government has rented floating power plants – of which only two operate – and promotes the construction of a hundred solar parks with installed capacity of 2,000 MW, the energy deficit persists.
This reality directly impacts the economy: GDP accumulates a 11 % contraction in the last five years and the projections for 2025 remain negative.
The blackouts, in addition to stopping the productive activity, have been triggers of social protests in different provinces, including the massive demonstrations of July 11, 2021 and the most recent that occurred on March 17 in Santiago de Cuba and other localities.
