New 240 MW floating power plant arrives in Havana

HAVANA, Feb. 3th A new floating plant arrived in Havana on Wednesday to contribute to the generation of electricity on the island, according to the Cuban Ministry of Energy and Mines.It is a large capacity plant, which can generate 240 MW, the entity said on Twitter.

The publication does not specify when it could start working and connect to the National Electric System (SEN)

Although the ministry did not confirm the origin of the floating plant in its tweet, it has the Turkish flag, as well as the name of the Turkish company Karadeniz, as can be seen in the published image.

In other photographs shared on social networks, the flag of the Dominican Republic can also be seen.

Arrival in Havana of a new floating power plant for the generation of electricity, on February 1, 2023. Photo: Juan Carlos Petrirena.

This would be the eighth plant of its type with Turkish technology to arrive on the island. The previous one, of 110 MW, arrived in mid-November and synchronized almost a month later with the SEN.

Then, it was explained that his arrival was “part of the strategy for power recovery through thermal generation”, as an alternative to face the electrical energy crisis in the country.

These floating power plants are part of an agreement between Cuba and the Karadeniz Holding company, in operation since 2019. They are installed in the bays of Havana and Mariel, and after the entry into operation of the seventh, a contribution of more than from 400 MW to the SEN

Specialists from the Unión Eléctrica (UNE) explained that, in 2023, floating plants must deliver between 18 and 20% of the electricity generation on the island.

In the last two years, and in parallel to a severe economic crisis, Cuba has suffered a complex situation in electricity generation, marked by continuous breaks in generating plants, shutdowns for maintenance, problems with access to fuel and, consequently, long blackouts across the country.

This, in turn, has generated criticism and discomfort among the population, and has motivated protests in different Cuban towns.