Cuba could face even more severe blackouts this Saturday, April 5, according to the official report from Unión Eléctrica (UNE), which anticipates a maximum impact of 1,635 MW during peak hours. This figure even exceeds the actual deficit reported on Friday, which was already greater than planned.
According to the informative note from this Saturday, the electrical disruption on the island has been ongoing for the past 24 hours, reaching a peak of 1,727 MW at 8:10 p.m. on Friday. This figure was higher than the 1,619 MW forecasted the previous day, a recurring trend that raises doubts about the reliability of the reports issued by UNE, a state-owned company characterized by its opacity and data manipulation.
The situation for this Saturday is not any more encouraging: at 7:00 a.m., the National Electric System (SEN) reported a supply of 1,755 MW against a demand of 2,800 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,068 MW.
By noon, a shortfall of 1,180 MW is anticipated, and for the nighttime peak, the forecast indicates a demand of 3,450 MW against an availability of only 1,885 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,565 MW and an estimated impact of 1,635 MW.
The generation is severely restricted due to the outage of seven thermal units—two due to malfunctions at Nuevitas and Felton, and five undergoing maintenance—as well as a lack of fuel, which keeps 75 distributed generation plants (565 MW) out of operation.
Although eight photovoltaic solar parks were added with a production of 1,004 MWh this Friday, their contribution remains insufficient in light of the system's collapse.
The lack of transparency from the regime and the systematic manipulation of data hinder a real assessment of the crisis, which affects millions of Cubans. Official forecasts rarely miss the mark in an optimistic direction.
On the contrary, the actual impact is often worse, as occurred this Friday, leading to the expectation that the blackouts on this Saturday could exceed the announced figures, plunging the population into another day of uncertainty and hardship.
Recent outages in Havana
On Friday, several areas of Havana were left without electricity due to a fault at the Cuatro Caminos Substation, located in the Cotorro municipality.
The Electric Company of the capital reported that the interruption was due to a break in the high-power transformer at the substation, affecting the Popular Councils of Cuatro Caminos, Santa Amelia, and La Portada, as well as nearby areas.
The executives assured that they were working on replacing the damaged equipment and would remain on site until the electrical service was restored.
Official statements and public reactions
In light of the high energy deficit and the fear of a massive blackout, the Electric Company denied that such a situation could occur again. They stated that disruptions would continue according to the plan in each province and the current generation deficit.
However, this statement generated criticism among the population, who expressed their discontent on social media. One internet user commented that the outages are a completely planned phenomenon by the regime. Others pointed out that although the possibility of a general blackout is denied, provinces are experiencing prolonged electricity cuts.
The energy situation in Cuba remains critical, with blackouts severely affecting the daily lives of the population. Official statements attempt to downplay the severity of the crisis, but the reality on the streets reflects a deep dissatisfaction and distrust towards the authorities responsible for the country's electrical management.
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