The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant, the largest power generating facility in Cuba, experienced another outage from the National Electrical System (SEN) this past Saturday at 8:11 PM. The official reason provided by the Unión Eléctrica (UNE) on their Facebook page was "vibrations in the turbine."
This mechanical failure is distinct from previous issues with the boiler and economizer that caused earlier shutdowns in October, indicating that problems are now affecting other systems within the plant.
The latest disconnection comes on the heels of a series of technical failures. On October 14, the Guiteras was taken offline due to a leak in the economizer of the boiler, along with additional damage to the low-temperature reheater. Technicians replaced 11 tube segments and performed hydraulic and pneumatic tests to bring it back online.
However, the reconnection on October 20 lasted a mere five minutes: the plant synchronized at 10:06 PM only to fall offline again at 10:11 PM, with the cause "pending identification," according to the UNE. The facility did not rejoin the SEN until 4:36 AM the following day, operating at a significantly reduced capacity of 150 MW, compared to its nominal output of 316 MW.
Throughout October, the Guiteras also suffered a shutdown on October 9 due to a leak in a steam tempering line, and another on September 28 due to a leak in the burner front wall.
Severe Impact on National Power Supply
The effect on the national electrical system has been severe. By 6:00 AM on Saturday, before the latest nighttime disconnection, the UNE reported only 915 MW of available generation capacity against a demand of 2,104 MW, with 1,177 MW affected at that time. During peak hours, a demand of 2,850 MW was forecasted, with a maximum estimated shortfall of 1,865 MW.
The power outages on October 24 severely impacted several provinces. In Holguín, some circuits endured interruptions ranging from 14 hours and 19 minutes to 18 hours and 22 minutes by 9:25 AM. In Havana, 109 circuits were affected, with an impact of 268 MW at 3:45 AM, which remained at 227 MW by 6:00 AM. Sancti Spíritus reported 61 MW affected due to a generation deficit.
Widespread Issues Across Power Plants
The Guiteras is not the only plant experiencing difficulties: the Antonio Maceo Thermoelectric Power Plant in Santiago de Cuba had units three and six out of service due to malfunctions, while unit five was under maintenance.
The Matanzas plant has experienced at least 17 unscheduled outages by July 2026, and between January and May, it logged 293 hours out of service due to economizer problems alone. It has been in continuous operation for 38 years without major maintenance, explaining the accumulation of failures in critical components.
On October 1, an unexpected shutdown of the Guiteras—while the CTE Felton was grappling with its own issues—resulted in a total disconnection from the SEN, marking the ninth nationwide blackout in Cuba this year.
Understanding the Power Crisis in Cuba
What caused the recent outage at the Guiteras Power Plant?
The recent outage was caused by vibrations in the turbine, a mechanical issue distinct from previous problems with the boiler and economizer.
How has the Guiteras Plant affected the national power supply?
The plant's repeated outages have severely impacted Cuba's national power supply, contributing to significant power deficits and widespread outages in several provinces.
What other power plants in Cuba are experiencing issues?
In addition to the Guiteras plant, the Antonio Maceo Power Plant in Santiago de Cuba is facing issues, with several units out of service due to malfunctions.