The eastern region of Cuba will remain without electricity service for at least 15 days—if we are being very optimistic—due to the serious damage caused by Hurricane Melissa to the transmission lines supplying the area, reported the National Electric Union (UNE).
According to the newspaper Ahora from Holguín, technicians detected "severe structural damage" in the infrastructure connecting the eastern provinces with the national system, which will prevent an immediate restoration of the supply.
The state-run company acknowledged that the recovery will depend on weather conditions and the availability of technical resources, which—given the scarcity faced by the regime—opens the door for the "estimated" timeframe to be much longer.
In a statement released this Thursday, the UNE urged the population to ration the use of batteries and electronic devices and to prepare for the extended blackout, as repair work continues.
The entity urged to "stay calm" in light of interruptions in other associated services, such as water supply and telecommunications, which have been severely affected in the eastern region.
Hurricane Melissa caused serious damage to the energy infrastructure in the eastern part of the country, with hundreds of downed poles, damaged substations, and collapsed high-voltage lines in provinces such as Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Las Tunas.
This is compounded by the lack of fuel and specialized equipment, which slows down recovery efforts.
Although the UNE claims to be working "around the clock," it does not guarantee an exact date for the full reconnection of service, leaving thousands of families in a critical situation marked by a lack of energy, water, and communication.
From the direction of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Minister Vicente de la O Levy assured that “they will move forward,” although he acknowledged the severity of the current situation.
Despite the institutional optimism, in provinces like Granma, local authorities have urged the population to remain calm and patient in light of the delays, acknowledging that a damage assessment is still underway, which is delaying any timeline for resolution.
The Granma Electric Company called for public understanding due to extensive damage to distribution lines, transformers, and fallen poles.
The destruction caused by the cyclone is compounded by new obstacles that have hindered the restoration of service. In Santiago de Cuba, repair crews are facing a wave of theft of electrical cables, with more than ten incidents reported in just 24 hours.
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