Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel extended his congratulations on Friday to the workers of the "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes" Thermoelectric Plant in Cienfuegos, despite the plant's unsuccessful maintenance efforts. Although the power station underwent nearly five months of maintenance and costly repairs, Unit 3 was connected to the National Electric System (SEN) on May 1. Just four days later, the unit was again out of service due to a boiler leak.
During his visit to the facility, Díaz-Canel described the technicians' efforts as "heroic." He stated, "We visited the Céspedes plant in Cienfuegos, which is currently maintaining its Unit 4. We trust in the capability of its team, which has faced and overcome many challenges. The work these electrical sector employees are doing is truly heroic," he wrote on social media.
However, many criticized the president's remarks, arguing that the true heroes are the Cuban people enduring prolonged power outages. "The real medal should go to the citizens who endure such hardship, finding strength in nothing, and continuing despite dashed hopes," commented one social media user. Another added, "It's the people of Cienfuegos who are heroic for tolerating the incompetence of those running this country."
The Céspedes plant had been offline since December 2024 for major maintenance after experiencing numerous technical issues that had kept it disconnected from the SEN for extended periods. Throughout early 2025, updates on maintenance progress—including hydraulic tests, safety valve checks, system cleanings, and turbine flushes—were sparse and inconsistent. Promised synchronization dates were repeatedly postponed amid increasingly severe nationwide blackouts.
With the Cienfuegos plant's unit offline for maintenance and others suffering from malfunctions, the energy deficit has drastically worsened. For the peak evening hours this Saturday, a maximum demand of 3,400 MW is expected, while available capacity is projected to be only 1,900 MW, resulting in a shortfall of 1,500 MW and estimated disruptions of 1,570 MW.
Officials continue to claim that a solution is underway. This week, Díaz-Canel acknowledged the "extreme severity" of the energy crisis and promised investments to restore capacity and modernize infrastructure. Yet, public trust in these assurances is rapidly diminishing. Increasingly, citizens are openly questioning the daily reports from the National Electric Union (UNE), accusing them of downplaying the true scale of the energy collapse.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What caused the current energy crisis in Cuba?
The energy crisis in Cuba is primarily due to aging infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, and the government's failure to invest in necessary upgrades and modernizations.
How are the people of Cuba affected by the energy crisis?
Cubans face frequent and prolonged power outages, which disrupt daily life, hinder economic activities, and exacerbate existing hardships in the country.
What measures has the Cuban government promised to address the energy issues?
The government has promised to invest in restoring energy capacity and modernizing infrastructure, though public trust in these promises is waning.