A Satellite Photo Reveals That the Asticar ‘Patana’ [Turkish Power Plant] in Havana Will Have Nine Engines

The authorities are secretive about the port facilities, while giving great publicity to the construction of solar parks 14ymedio, Havana, October 5, 2025 — The Asticar power plant, located on the docks of Astilleros del Caribe in Havana, has been under construction since at least the beginning of this year. A satellite photo taken in … Continue reading “A Satellite Photo Reveals That the Asticar ‘Patana’ [Turkish Power Plant] in Havana Will Have Nine Engines”

The Chinese Solar Parks Arrive, the Turkish ‘Patanas’ Leave and the Blackouts Continue

 20 photovoltaic plants are needed to replace the more than 400 MW lost with the closure of five floating power plants 14ymedio, Havana, 28 February 2025 — With great enthusiasm the Cuban authorities boasted a week ago of having synchronized the first photovoltaic park in Havana, named Escuela de Enfermería, to the national electrical system (SEN), … Continue reading “The Chinese Solar Parks Arrive, the Turkish ‘Patanas’ Leave and the Blackouts Continue”

The Regime Shuts Down the Turkish ‘Patanas’ for the Day To Conserve Fuel

The Cuban authorities keep the few oil reserves to support the nighttime power deficit 14ymedio, Havana, 24 September 2024 — “For the first time in a long time the landscape is not stained with the smoke of the patanas. Now things have become critical,” exclaimed a resident of Nuevo Vedado on Tuesday. Until about 7 … Continue reading “The Regime Shuts Down the Turkish ‘Patanas’ for the Day To Conserve Fuel”

Anchored in Regla, the Mysterious Sixth Turkish ‘Patana’ Contracted by Cuba Is Called ‘Erol Bey’

14ymedio, Juan Izquierdo, Havana, 15 February 2024 — Anchored in the inlet of Guanabacoa and protected from the curiosity of habaneros, the exact location of the Erol Bey Turkish floating power plant — commonly called a ’patana’ — with its four chimneys, is not known. Located next to an industrial area, a 1,476-foot esplanade separates it from the … Continue reading “Anchored in Regla, the Mysterious Sixth Turkish ‘Patana’ Contracted by Cuba Is Called ‘Erol Bey’”

In Addition to Being Expensive, Turkish ‘Patanas’ Are a Pollution Bomb in Cuba

14ymedio, Juan Izquierdo, Havana, 27 August 2023 — The formidable column of smoke that extends from the bay of Havana to the east is the most visible example of the environmental damage caused by the Turkish patanas, the floating power plants present on the Island since 2019. The chimneys of the Suheyla Sultan, generating 240 … Continue reading “In Addition to Being Expensive, Turkish ‘Patanas’ Are a Pollution Bomb in Cuba”

Cuba Has Spent More Than 100 Million Dollars on Turkish ‘Patanas’, a Secret Investment

14ymedio, Juan Izquierdo, Havana, 23 August 2023 — One of the best kept secrets of the Cuban authorities is the cost of the Turkish patanas [floating power plants] that, since 2019, contribute to alleviating blackouts on the Island. Faced with the silence of those responsible, 14ymedio went to look for information in the Dominican Republic, … Continue reading “Cuba Has Spent More Than 100 Million Dollars on Turkish ‘Patanas’, a Secret Investment”

Cuba’s Electric Union Breaks Its Silence and Announces That the New Turkish Power Plant Is Only Visiting

Random “crashes” multiply, and a fourth total blackout is feared 14ymedio, Madrid, 14 December 2024 — Five days after the arrival in Havana of the new Turkish floating power plant, the Cankuthan Bey, the Cuban Electric Union (UNE) acknowledged its presence. The UNE confirmed on X this Friday that, as published by 14ymedio, the ‘patana’, … Continue reading “Cuba’s Electric Union Breaks Its Silence and Announces That the New Turkish Power Plant Is Only Visiting”

Guyana Hires Cuban Engineers and Makes off with a Turkish Floating Power Plant Anchored in Havana Bay

14ymedio, Havana, 18 April 2024 — Ten Cuban engineers with “relevant skills” were hired last week by the Government of Guyana to help the state Power and Light (GPL) company solve its energy crisis. Also arriving to “cope with the blackouts” in Guyana is a Turkish “patana” (floating power plant) with 36 megawatts (MW) of … Continue reading “Guyana Hires Cuban Engineers and Makes off with a Turkish Floating Power Plant Anchored in Havana Bay”

The Havana Night Is Filled With ‘Cacerolazos’ Because of the Blackouts

The energy crisis that afflicts the Island comes to the surrounding areas of the Casino Deportivo, where villas with gardens are plentiful 14ymedio, Havana, Darío Hernández, September 30, 2025 — The areas surrounding the Casino Deportivo, in the municipality of Cerro, were pitch black on Monday night. Dark, but not at all silent. In streets … Continue reading “The Havana Night Is Filled With ‘Cacerolazos’ Because of the Blackouts”

The Average Daily Power Outage in Cuba Was Almost 16 Hours in July and 15 in August

The Director General of Electricity noted that “there were circuits that were turned off longer.” Two Turkish floating power plants are maintained in the country, delivering about 70 megawatts per day. 14ymedio, Madrid, 9 September 2025 — The conclusions of the Ministry of Energy and Mines report are devastating. During the month of July, the average … Continue reading “The Average Daily Power Outage in Cuba Was Almost 16 Hours in July and 15 in August”

A Power Substation Failure Leaves Havana Without Power, Including Hospitals

Unit 6 of Mariel, Energas, and the Moa engines were disconnected from the national electricity system. 14ymedio, Madrid, 4 August 2025 — A power outage on Sunday night left much of Havana without power, including hospitals and the main water supply sources, which regained electricity after 2:00 a.m. As a result, unit 6 of the … Continue reading “A Power Substation Failure Leaves Havana Without Power, Including Hospitals”

Havana-Ciego de Ávila, a Trip in Apaguistan*

The Viazul bus travels through ghost towns, where passengers get on and off by the light of their cell phones. 14ymedio, Olea Gallardo, Havana – Those without fans waved cardboard with their hands this Monday at the Viazul restaurant in the Havana municipality of Plaza de la Revolución while waiting for their buses to depart. … Continue reading “Havana-Ciego de Ávila, a Trip in Apaguistan*”

Another Day With Long Blackouts in Cuba: “It Was the Lord’s Turn To Rise From the Darkness”

14ymedio, Havana, 20 April 2025 — For Cubans, Lent does not end at the same time as in the rest of the world. Especially when it comes to energy, the Island’s electricity never arrives on Easter, and the resurrections promised by the Government for the national electricity system (SEN) never take place: for this Sunday … Continue reading “Another Day With Long Blackouts in Cuba: “It Was the Lord’s Turn To Rise From the Darkness””

The General Blackout in Cuba Continues, With a Few Islands of Light

Technicians face difficulties in resolving a “complex situation” 14ymedio, Havana, 16 March 2025 –The few lights that were on in Havana at sunset this Saturday looked more like phantoms in a cemetery than a capital city. From the Loma de la Cruz in Guanabacoa, where a reporter from this newspaper photographed the dark panorama, a … Continue reading “The General Blackout in Cuba Continues, With a Few Islands of Light”

Faced With an Increase in Production and Broken Power Plants, Cuba Could Be Exporting National Oil

14ymedio, 16 February 2025, Madrid — The Pozo Varadero 1012, located near Boca de Camarioca, Matanzas, and inaugurated by the Cuba Petroleum Union (Cupet) and the Chinese company Gran Muralla last March, already produces 350,000 metric tonnes daily. The data was released by the official journalist José Miguel Solís this Saturday from the information provided … Continue reading “Faced With an Increase in Production and Broken Power Plants, Cuba Could Be Exporting National Oil”