Firefighters managed to control the fire, which began at 6:55 for reasons still unknown.
14ymedio, Madrid, October 16, 2026 – Cuba’s Electric Union reported early Friday morning (6:55) a fire “of major proportions” in the unit of the Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Thermoelectric Power Plant in Santa Cruz del Norte, Mayabeque. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the incident originated inside the generating unit’s own infrastructure, forcing its operations to be halted as a precaution. Although the fire was brought under control, according to the authorities at around 9 a.m., the plant is offline.
Journalist Amparo Álvarez, director of the Santa Cruz-based radio station La Voz del Litoral, stated that there had been no loss of human life “so far,” since “urgent measures were taken to assure the safety of the workers.”
The National Electric Union (UNE) reported that the accident was caused by “an oil leak in the front of the rotor,” which, according to the state-owned company, “was detected promptly by the on-duty operator.” The company announced that the area remains under preventative surveillance while units 2 and 3 of the power plant prepare to resume operations.
The fire produced a highly visible column of black smoke, as seen in images released by the official media outlet Radio Jaruco. On social media, some residents reported hearing sirens, which led them to fear the worst.
The Santa Cruz del Norte fire department, and other rescue teams, were recognized by government authorities for their “professionalism and commitment to the safety of the plant and its workers,” according to the UNE.
The accident was caused by “an oil leak in the front part of the rotor” which, according to the state entity, “was detected in a timely manner by the operator on duty”
The state-owned company had previously indicated that only 740 megawatts (MW) of power were available, while demand stood at 2,260 MW. For the midday period, a shortfall of 1,750 MW is forecast. Furthermore, no improvement is expected at night, with the same level of production but demand reaching 2,900 MW, bringing the deficit close to 2,200 MW.
A few hours later, the UNE reported the disconnection of the Lidio Ramón Pérez thermoelectric plant, known as Felton, so it is expected that generation expectations will be reduced in the deteriorated national electricity system.
Fires and other accidents at Cuban thermoelectric power plants have become part of the problem. The aging facilities and the conditions under which they operate, combined with inadequate safety measures, have turned these giants into powder kegs.
Among the most serious incidents in recent years was the disaster at Unit 2 of the Lidio Ramón Pérez Thermoelectric Power Plant in Felton (Holguín), which sustained considerable structural damage just as it was preparing to resume operations in July 2022. The unit remains out of service, four years after the incident.
Months earlier, in March 2022, another fire of major proportions had occurred at the Máximo Gómez Báez thermoelectric power plant in Mariel, Artemisa. The accident was caused by an explosion in the steam turbine of Unit 7 and triggered an automatic shutdown of the system a few minutes later, although no casualties were reported on that occasion either.
In addition, the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant in Matanzas, the country’s largest generating unit, has experienced all kinds of incidents, from fires in its fuel tanks to boiler failures and internal collapses during chimney-cleaning operations.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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