The serious energy crisis affecting Cuba forced the Electric Company of Havana to create a new block of blackouts, number 5, as part of a reconfiguration of the schedule due to generation deficits that increasingly impact the capital of the country.
According to a news release published on the official Facebook page of the Government of Havana, the new block will include areas from the municipalities of Boyeros, Arroyo Naranjo, La Lisa, Centro Habana, and Habana del Este.
“Later, we will detail on our official channels and accounts the circuits and quadrants associated with the new block,” announced the entity, which urged the public to stay informed through social media or by calling the telephone hotline number 18888.
Disruption schedule for this Tuesday in Havana
The Cuban capital is divided into five sectors that will rotate power outages throughout the day, as follows:
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. → Block #5
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. → Block #1
3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. → Block #2
6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. → Block #3
7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. → Block #4
Cuba on the brink of another electrical collapse
The situation in the National Electric System (SEN) continues to deteriorate rapidly. Just this Monday, the Electric Union (UNE) forecast a generation deficit of up to 1858 MW, well above the record recorded on February 12, when a deficit of 1,779 MW was reported. However, the maximum disruption reported yesterday was 1,736 MW at 7:50 p.m., according to data from the company.
On this Tuesday, the system availability at 7:00 a.m. was only 1,480 MW, while the demand exceeded 2,600 MW, resulting in an immediate deficit of 1,147 MW.
It is estimated that by noon there will be blackouts amounting to 1,400 MW, a very high daytime figure, while the overall impact during peak hours could reach up to 1,668 MW at night.
A crisis with no relief in sight
The national electrical infrastructure, aged and dependent on fossil fuels, continues to be prone to constant failures, resource shortages, and a lack of sustained investments. Although the government has tried to promote renewable energy sources and has called for energy efficiency, the results remain minimal in the face of the structural collapse of the system.
Meanwhile, for millions of Cubans, power outages have become part of their routine: dinners in the dark, hot nights without ventilation, interruptions to work and school, and a growing sense of uncertainty with no visible solution on the horizon.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Energy Crisis and Power Outages in Cuba
Why was a new blackout block created in Havana?
The establishment of the new blackout block in Havana is due to a severe electricity generation deficit affecting the capital and the rest of the country. The Electric Company of Havana has had to reconfigure the schedule of outages to better manage the energy shortage and ensure a more controlled distribution of blackouts.
What are the main causes of the energy crisis in Cuba?
The energy crisis in Cuba is due to the obsolescence of the electrical infrastructure, dependence on fossil fuels, and lack of sustained investment. The thermoelectric plants suffer from frequent breakdowns, and there is a shortage of fuel affecting distributed generation plants. These issues have resulted in a generation deficit exceeding 1,400 MW during peak hours.
How do scheduled blackouts affect the residents of Havana?
Scheduled blackouts in Havana affect different blocks of the city at specific times, leaving thousands of residents without electricity for several hours a day. This negatively impacts the daily lives of people, interrupting household, work, and school activities, and creating inconveniences such as dining in the dark and hot nights without ventilation.
What measures has the Cuban government taken to mitigate the energy crisis?
The Cuban government has attempted to promote the use of renewable energy, particularly solar energy, by constructing new photovoltaic parks. However, these efforts have not been sufficient to offset the generation shortfall due to ongoing failures in thermal power plants and a lack of resources for significant investments in the electrical system.
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