Cuba''s ongoing energy crisis is highlighted by the increasing frequency of scheduled blackouts in Havana. Residents of the capital, who once enjoyed relative immunity compared to other provinces, are now experiencing outages firsthand. Despite shorter durations compared to other regions, Havana''s citizens are starting to feel the strain that has long plagued the rest of the country.
Meanwhile, the Electric Union (UNE) reported on Tuesday that eight thermoelectric units remain offline, four due to breakdowns and another four for maintenance. Considering these circumstances and the chronic fuel shortages, the estimated impact for today will be 950 MW during daytime hours, rising to 1,450 MW at peak demand.
A day after a massive nationwide blackout left millions of Cubans without electricity, authorities were trying to reconnect the island''s integrated energy system Saturday with gradual and limited success. (AP Video/Ariel Fernández and Milexsy Durán)
Residents prepare a soup over an open fire during a blackout following the failure of a major power plant in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
A resident sits while passing time during a blackout following the failure of a major power plant in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Residents walk down a street using a phone flashlight during a power outage following the failure of a major power plant in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Residents eat outside their homes to avoid the indoor heat during a massive blackout after a major power plant failed in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Residents stand outside their homes to avoid the heat indoors during a massive blackout after a major power plant failed in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
A resident prepares a soup over an open fire during a massive blackout following the failure of a major power plant in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
A woman prepares to catch a tossed frisbee during a massive blackout after a major power plant failed in Havana, Cuba, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
HAVANA (AP) — Some electricity was restored in Cuba, the government said Saturday, after the island nation''s worst blackout in at least two years left millions without electricity for two days.
Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said the country had 500 megawatts in its electrical grid early Saturday, compared to the 3 gigawatts that are normally generated. He posted on the social media platform X that "several substations in the west now have electricity."
Havana''s electricity company said in a statement earlier Saturday that a part of its western system was disconnected "after the exit of one of the plants that was delivering service." That issue has left some parts of the city in the dark once again, with the total megawatts dropping from 500 to 370.
The streets of Cuba''s capital, where 2 million people live, were quiet on Saturday, with few cars driving by after a night that was lit by candles and lamps. The impact of the blackout goes beyond lighting, as services like water supply also depend on electricity to run pumps.
The blackout was considered to be Cuba''s worst in two years, after a Category 3 hurricane damaged power installations and it took days for the government to fix them. This year, some homes have spent up to eight hours a day without electricity.
Besides the Antonio Guiteras plant, whose failure on Friday affected the entire national system, Cuba has several others and it wasn''t immediately clear whether they remained functional.
The Cuban government has announced emergency measures to slash electricity demand, including suspending school and university classes, shutting down some state-owned workplaces and canceling nonessential services. Officials said that 1.64 gigawatts went offline during peak hours, about half the total demand at the time.
Local authorities said the outage, which started on a small scale Thursday, stemmed from increased demand from small- and medium-sized companies and residential air conditioners. Later, the blackout got worse due to breakdowns in old thermoelectric plants that haven''t been properly maintained and the lack of fuel to operate some facilities.
Changes to electricity rates for small- and medium-sized companies, which have proliferated since they were first authorized by the communist government in 2021, are also being considered.
More than six days after Hurricane Rafael swept through western Cuba, the situation in Havana remains challenging, with thousands of residents still without power due to the storm''s damage. Despite this, the Havana Electric Company announced on Facebook that power has been restored to 95% of the city, benefiting over 823,000 customers.
Nonetheless, sources connected to CiberCuba reported that electricity is still out in some residential areas like Kholy, where crews have had to trim trees to continue their work. "Rehabilitation efforts are ongoing in municipalities such as Playa, La Lisa, Arroyo Naranjo, and Boyeros, where more complex issues persist. In these areas, seven contingents from various parts of the country are helping with recovery efforts to speed up the process," they stated.
Additionally, the restoration of electricity has been crucial for healthcare, with 39 hospitals now having power to assist patients. Water supply has also been reinstated in nine critical sources located in areas like Paso Seco, Palatino, and Casa Blanca.
Regarding the electrical networks, transmission and subtransmission circuits have achieved 100% restoration, while primary distribution circuits are approaching a 95% recovery rate. "The Havana Electric Company continues to work tirelessly to ensure the full restoration of electrical service in the capital," they asserted, acknowledging that some areas still face a long road ahead.
Despite these efforts, power outages persist throughout the country due to breakdowns and a generation deficit, exacerbating the daily struggles of Cuban families under the socialist regime''s mismanagement.
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