Díaz-Canel announced this Wednesday the intention to “make Havana’s water pumping independent” with solar energy.
By: EFE/14ymedio
HAVANA TIMES – A new shipment of 5,000 solar photovoltaic panels donated by the Chinese Government arrived in Cuba, destined for a project to electrify public facilities and homes in remote regions of the Island.
China’s ambassador to Cuba, Hua Xin, announced on social media the arrival of the donation, which came from his country and was transported in 200 containers.
“China is supporting Cuba’s energy transition and supporting its efforts to improve the living conditions of the people with concrete actions,” the Chinese diplomat said in a video accompanying the announcement.
Havana and Beijing maintain close political and economic relations in which the Asian country stands out as one of the Island’s main allies, although the statements have gone no further than mere verbal support and occasional donations such as the current one.
In a message on social media, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez thanked “the Communist Party, Government and people of China for their solidarity and sincere material assistance, at a time when the U.S. Government is intensifying its blockade against Cuba and maintaining an energy siege that causes considerable harm to the population.”
This is the third donation of 5,000 photovoltaic panels sent by China in recent months, following the one received in November 2025 for homes that were left isolated in the easternmost part of the Island after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
Last August, a similar shipment arrived and was assigned to health services and emergency medical institutions, daycare centers, funeral homes, state facilities for children without family protection, and bank branches, among other facilities, according to information provided at the time by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines reported in March on a plan to install solar systems at vital facilities in all of the country’s municipalities, as well as in isolated homes, including those that have never had access to electricity.
This Wednesday, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said in his new radio program, Criterio Compartido [Shared Views], that, to date, 1,418 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic capacity have been installed in the country, distributed among 144 solar parks, and he cited a target of more than 1,500 MW by the end of the year.
Regarding renewable sources, he said that they currently account for 21.4% of the country’s electricity generation. He also detailed that these have been installed in 99% of polyclinics, 47% of hospitals, 89% of nursing homes and grandparents’ homes, 99% of maternity homes, 98% of funeral homes, and 16% of state homes for children without family protection.
He also indicated that 72% of banks, 97% of radio stations, and 25% of radio base stations have photovoltaic systems.
The intention is also to achieve, in the first months of next year, “the independence of Havana’s water pumping from the National Electric System.”
The biggest problems are still the lack of batteries to store the energy generated, as well as the impossibility of using the total amount to help compensate for the shortage of thermal generation. Most of the thermoelectric power plants, responsible for 40% of generation, were built in the 1960s and 1970s, and every day around half of the 16 generating units installed are not operational because of breakdowns or lack of maintenance.
Under these circumstances, the country’s energy situation is “critical” and “extremely tense,” and has reached record levels in recent months with eight total disconnections of the National Electric System so far in 2026.
The Cuban Government’s main strategy for emerging from this crisis has been solar energy, mainly with Chinese support, and it has launched a program to build 92 solar parks with companies from that country to reach a total installed capacity of about 2,000 megawatts (MW).
But the scale of the crisis is such that the deficit continues to increase despite the expansion of solar energy. For this Thursday, an impact of 2,133 MW is forecast during the peak hour, after reaching 2,170 MW yesterday.
Electricity production from the photovoltaic solar parks this Wednesday was 3,343 MWh, with 520 MW as the maximum power delivered, which moderated the deficit during the morning hours, when it was 1,660 MW.
The lack of fuel for distributed generation and breakdowns at the thermoelectric plants, which reduce this contribution by 467 MW, are at the root of the precarious situation. Unit 8 of Mariel, Antonio Guiteras, Unit 6 of Nuevitas, Unit 2 of Felton, and Unit 6 of Rente are out of service. Due to maintenance, Units 3 of Santa Cruz del Norte, 5 of Nuevitas, and 5 of Rente are also not contributing.
Translated by Regina Anavy for Translating Cuba.
