Protection system failure in the electrical system leaves several areas of Havana in blackout

The Electric Company of Havana reported on the night of this Friday, through its official Telegram channel, that an Automatic Frequency Drop (DAF) left areas of the Playa and Habana del Este municipalities without electrical service in the Cuban capital.

According to the official statement, the areas affected in Playa included Juan Manuel Márquez, Santa Fe, Jaimanitas, streets 296, 284, 5ta, the quadrant of 284/5ta/1ra/296, El Roble, and Bajo Santana.

In East Havana, the areas without electricity are Altura de Boca Ciega, Santa María del Mar, Villa Mégano, Justiz, Agromar, Bajurayabo, Campo Florido, and La Coca.

The DAF is an automatic protection mechanism of the National Electric System (SEN) that disconnects circuits in a staggered manner when the frequency of the grid falls below the nominal 60 Hz, aiming to prevent a total collapse, although it causes sudden and unexpected blackouts for the population.

This episode is at least the sixth documented DAF in Havana in 2026, amid the most severe energy crisis in the recent history of Cuba.

The previous incidents occurred on February 20, due to an accident at the Habana 220 kV Substation; on March 19, due to a failure in a 110 kV line; on April 6, following the shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant, on April 9 and 10, and on April 22.

The national energy context is extremely serious. For the night of this Friday, a power deficit of 1,333 MW was forecasted for peak hours.

The active failures include units from the Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, Nuevitas, Felton, and Renté thermoelectric plants, with an additional 293 MW in thermal limitations.

The crisis is caused by decades of neglect in maintaining thermal power plants and four consecutive months without regular fuel supplies: the system requires eight ships per month, but only one has arrived since December 2025.

The consequences extend beyond darkness, as it has recently come to light that more than 200,000 residents of Havana have lost regular access to drinking water as a direct result of the power outages, according to the director of the Aqueduct of Havana.