Power outages return due to generation deficits in Havana: "The little bread is gone."

The blackouts returned to Havana on Saturday night after a brief respite of five days, when block #4 was without electricity for at least one hour and 26 minutes, and an automatic frequency discharge left areas of Playa and Havana del Este in the dark, according to the Electric Company of Havana on its Telegram channel.

The capital had accumulated approximately five consecutive days without power outages due to a generation deficit—from April 20 to 25—thanks to the prioritized distribution of refined Russian oil that began arriving on April 17.

That relief, cautiously celebrated by many in Havana, lasted only five nights.

Cubans reacted on social media with resignation and dark humor. "The first episode of the twentieth season of the series The Endless Blackout has begun, happiness is over, stress returns," wrote a user.

"The massacre has begun, and this season will be tougher," warned another person.

A resident of the La Cumbre neighborhood in San Miguel del Padrón reported that the power "went out at 9:30 PM and came back around 2:00 AM," and that the electrical appliances "miraculously survived" the voltage fluctuations when the service was restored.

Another person reported the inequity in the distribution of power cuts: "We're starting again, and as always, Block 4 is the most affected because the blackout hours aren't even."

The automatic gunfire frequency on Saturday night —the sixth such incident recorded in Havana so far in 2026— affected areas of Playa and Habana del Este, including Juan Manuel Márquez, Santa Fe, Boca Ciega, and Santa María del Mar.

The national generation deficit remains at critical levels. On Saturday, the peak impact was 1,297 MW at 8:00 PM, with a mere availability of 1,925 MW against a demand of 3,100 MW during peak hours, according to data from the Cuban Electric Union.

The active breakdowns include units 1 and 2 of the Ernesto Guevara thermoelectric power plant, unit 6 of Nuevitas, unit 2 of Felton, and units 3 to 5 of Renté.

While Havana receives preferential treatment, provinces such as Holguín, Granma, and Santiago de Cuba endure power outages of up to 24 hours a day, a reality that contrasts sharply with the brief relief experienced by the capital.