Cuba adds this Saturday a new day of blackouts due to an energy deficit planned by the state company Unión Eléctrica (Une) 32% of the maximum generation capacity during the hours of greatest consumption.
With this forecast, there will be another day with power outages, a situation that has affected all the country’s territories for several months, and that in the last week has worsened after the devastating hurricane Ian crossed the western province of Pinar del River, which was completely dark.
Blackouts can exceed 10 consecutive hoursan issue that affects the economic and social life of Cuba in the midst of the crisis it is going through.
The UNE calculates for today a generation capacity of 2,113 megawatts (MW), a maximum demand of 2,850 MW and a deficit of 737 MW during peak hours (afternoon-night), including the effects of the hurricane.
The company, attached to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, estimates a maximum affectation of 400 MW for daytime hours due to a lack of generation capacity.
Currently, 8 generating units of various thermoelectric plants are out of service due to breakdowns, and the Antonio Guiteras plant, one of the largest on the island, is not in operation.
power outages – due to breakages and failures in the outdated thermoelectric plants, lack of fuel and scheduled maintenance – are increasingly frequent in the country.
In 60 of the 62 days of July and August, and all of September, blackouts were recorded in Cuba, according to data from the UNE collated by Efe.
The Cuban government seeks to reduce them before the end of this year through repairs and new investments.
Blackouts affect all areas of the economy and notably the daily life of Cubanswhich is fueling social discontent in a country that is going through a severe crisis.
These were one of the main reasons behind the July 11 anti-government protests, the largest in decades.
In the last two days there have been protests for this cause in various neighborhoods of Havana, and in the provinces of Camagüey (center-east) and eastern Holguín.
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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