In the Abreus municipality of Cienfuegos, a photovoltaic park is under construction as part of Cuba’s ambitious goal to achieve 1,000 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic generation by 2025. According to the Caribbean Channel, this project, located in Alcalde Mayor, is the most advanced among those proposed by the Cuban Communist regime, which has set a target of 2,000 MW by 2030.
The new solar park, expected to generate 21.8 MW, is being built using solar panels that have been imported illegally from China. Synchronization with the National Electric Power System is scheduled for November. However, this initiative raises questions about the regime's ability to deliver on its promises, as many Cubans remain skeptical given the ongoing energy crisis.
In a statement to Prensa Latina in June, Salvador Vera Hernández, director of investments at the Cienfuegos Electric Company, outlined plans for a total of five new solar parks in the region by 2028. In addition to the project in Abreus, other parks are being developed in Aguada de Pasajeros and Cumanayagua.
In mid-May, Cuba's Electric Union (UNE) announced the synchronization of the “La Criolla” photovoltaic park in Villa Clara, which has a capacity of 4.4 MW. Despite this progress, social media has been flooded with over 200 comments from frustrated Cubans grappling with blackouts lasting up to 20 hours. This ongoing energy crisis has led many to express their weariness of the regime's unfulfilled promises.
Even amid heightened repression from state security forces, complaints about frequent and prolonged blackouts continue to circulate online, as the Electric Union faces accusations of mistreatment toward the population. The optimism surrounding new solar projects contrasts sharply with the grim reality faced by many Cubans.
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