They are distributing coal in Las Tunas to face massive blackouts.

The Provincial Government of Las Tunas reported through its social channels about the sale of charcoal for cooking food, amid the alarming energy situation the country is experiencing.

In that territory of eastern Cuba, Fidel Gordo Escobar, coordinator of Programs and Objectives of the Provincial People's Power Government, said that the distribution is concentrated in urban settlements.

"In the province, the situation is not alarming; we must act calmly, and the key is to reduce consumption in the state and private sectors with the new economic players, in order to minimize the impact on the residential area," the executive mentioned to the local newspaper 26.

Due to the inability to manage the energy crisis, Gordo Escobar mentioned that they are working on meeting some food demands, which adds to the concerns of the population.

"The Commerce and Gastronomy Company in all territories and the Business Group are preparing food for sale in the communities. Additionally, the sale of chicken has started in all butcheries through the supply booklet, so that people have various options to access food products," it was noted without elaborating whether the sale will satisfy all the residents of Tunero.

State centers that do not play a key role in production will be disconnected in the coming hours, except for those that provide essential services, such as hospitals, to reduce consumption in the state sector and avoid impacting the residential sector. Additionally, employees who do not perform essential tasks have been asked to work from home, and for those who need to be on-site, the instruction is to use as little energy as possible.

The statements from this official from Tunera come just hours after President Miguel Díaz-Canel announced an urgent appearance by Cuba's Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz to discuss the serious energy situation that the island is facing.

According to the ruler, "the complex scenario we are going through is primarily caused by the intensification of the economic war and financial and energy persecution by the United States, which makes it difficult to import fuel and other necessary resources for that industry."

The National Electroenergetic System (SEN) has not had favorable parameters for years on the island, and instead of improving, it shows increasingly severe signs of deterioration.

For this Thursday, the Electric Union forecasts a power deficit of 1,678 MW. If this situation materializes, it would be the highest impact in recent years, according to reports from the institution.

The difficult situation has forced the government to call for an increase in coal production in different provinces, as an alternative for families suffering from power outages of more than 15 hours a day in recent weeks.