Cuba's Antonio Guiteras power plant awaits cooling after boiler fault

The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, a strategic 38‑year‑old facility in Cuba, went offline after a boiler fault was detected, cutting its 190 MW contribution to the national grid. Plant director Román Pérez Castañeda said the unit is now undergoing a cooling phase that typically lasts a little over 30 hours before technicians can access the boiler area.

During the cooling period, staff inspected 544 welds, repaired 172 of them and measured thickness at more than 850 points, concluding that five weld caps (mochetas) need replacement. The plant, originally built by a French firm and later acquired by a U.S. multinational, faces additional challenges obtaining parts due to the United States embargo on Cuba.