The authorities announced this Saturday that the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant ignited its boiler, the first step prior to the synchronization process with the National Electric System (SEN).
A report from the local official newspaper of Matanzas Girón stated that the boiler of the CTE was ignited at 3:45 in the morning.
"All maintenance work has been completed, after igniting the boiler a slow start-up process of the unit begins," said to Girón Román Pérez Castañeda, technical director of the Guiteras.
If there are no issues, synchronization with the SEN is expected to occur around 2:00 p.m., the official added.
Last Monday, the most important plant in the country was taken out of the National Electricity System for a "planned maintenance," according to the authorities.
Saturday of blackouts in Cuba
Despite the likely entry of the Guiteras into the National Electrical System (SEN), this Saturday the Electric Union (UNE) reported that they will continue to face a critical situation of energy deficit.
At 7:00 AM this Saturday, the availability of the SEN was just 1,810 MW against a demand of 2,840 MW, resulting in a capacity deficit of 1,089 MW. By noon, a deficit of 1,040 MW is anticipated.
The main incidents in the system include the outage due to a breakdown of unit 2 at the Felton thermoelectric plant (CTE), as well as maintenance tasks on four other generating units at the Santa Cruz, Cienfuegos, Guiteras, and Renté thermoelectric plants.
Additionally, the UNE reports 397 MW offline due to thermal limitations, along with a significant additional impact from a lack of fuel, which keeps 65 distributed generation plants inactive, resulting in an estimated loss of 458 MW.
For the peak nighttime hours, a partial recovery is forecasted with the restart of Guiteras (200 MW), the commissioning of unit 6 at the Nuevitas CTE (100 MW), and the recovery of 70 MW from diesel plants currently halted due to a lack of fuel.
Even so, the estimated availability will be 2180 MW compared to a maximum demand of 3350 MW, which would result in a deficit of 1170 MW. The UNE anticipates an impact of up to 1240 MW during that time.
On the other hand, the 11 new photovoltaic solar parks in the country contributed 1,131 megawatt-hours (MWh) to the system, a contribution that is insufficient to alleviate the overall deficit.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Energy Crisis in Cuba and the CTE Guiteras
What is the Antonio Guiteras Thermal Power Plant and why is it important for Cuba?
The Antonio Guiteras Power Plant is the most important plant in the country and its operation is crucial for the electricity supply in Cuba. Its departure from the National Electric System (SEN) significantly affects generation capacity and contributes to the frequent blackouts experienced in the country.
What is the current situation of the National Electric System (SEN) in Cuba?
The National Electric System of Cuba is facing a critical energy deficit situation, with current availability significantly lower than demand. This situation is worsened by breakdowns and maintenance in several thermal power units, as well as by a lack of fuel, which limits distributed generation.
How do power outages affect the Cuban population?
Constant blackouts in Cuba have a significant negative impact on the quality of life of the population. They affect essential services such as hospitals, schools, and telecommunications centers, and have led to protests and widespread discontent among citizens, especially in the provinces in the interior of the country.
What measures is the Cuban government taking to address the energy crisis?
The Cuban government has implemented maintenance in the thermoelectric plants and has attempted to maximize the use of renewable sources such as solar energy. However, the lack of adequate investments and the scarcity of fuel have made it difficult to find an effective solution to the energy crisis in the country.
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