The shutdown for maintenance of the Energás Puerto Escondido plant, in Mayabeque, was postponed again amid a worsening of the energy crisis in Cuba.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minen) confirmed that this “total shutdown” will no longer be carried out “for the remainder of December”, based on the critical situation faced by the National Electric System (SEN).
In this way, the manufactured gas service in a good part of Havana It will not be interrupted until next year, at least for maintenance work.
The brief information published on the networks and replicated in the official media does not announce a new date for the work, announced at the time as necessary for “operational safety and increased production capacity of the plant.”
Based on the situation we face in the Electrical System, the total shutdown of the ENERGAS Puerto Escondido plant will not be carried out for the remainder of December to perform maintenance. pic.twitter.com/SNHXJR8DrT
— Ministry of Energy and Mines of Cuba (@EnergiaMinasCub) December 10, 2025
postponement chain
The initial maintenance planning for Energás Puerto Escondido anticipated its shutdown at the end of November, but later it was rescheduled to take place between December 3 and 5.
However, the partial fall of the SEN that affected western Cuba on those dates and the delicate situation of electricity generation on the island after that disconnection, forced a new postponement.
So the authorities stated that they would then be informed “opportunely” about their rescheduling. Finally, Minen renounced carrying out the work in the remainder of 2025.
According to what was previously announced, the maintenance was to take about two days, paralyze the entire plant and totally or partially affect the manufactured gas service for a group of municipalities in Havana.
The jobs they aimed increase “the stability and quality of the gas that is sent to the capital for domestic use and for the generation of electricity.”
Energás and the energy crisis
Located in Puerto Escondido, in the Mayabeque municipality of Jaruco, the plant processes natural gas from local fields to generate up to 140 MW through combined cycle turbines.
In addition to contributing to the depressed electricity generation on the island and powering the Boca de Jaruco power plant, it supplies manufactured gas to thousands of Havana homes.
The suspension of its maintenance occurs at a time when Cuba faces a critical situation in electricity production, due to the shortage of imported fuel, breakdowns in generating units and the increase in demand.
In this context, in recent weeks not only has there been a new partial disconnection in the West, but the record for maximum impact in the country has been broken on more than one occasion – situated above 2,100 MW for the first time – while generation has fallen to a minimum.
The postponement of the Energás Puerto Escondido shutdown apparently seeks to avoid additional interruptions that would worsen blackouts and also the occasional inconvenience derived from the temporary loss of manufactured gas in much of the capital.
However, as is the case with the postponement of maintenance of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plantthis new postponement puts on pause work that is important for the better functioning of the plant and, if it continues to be delayed, it could affect its operation.
