Cuba-Petróleo and the Manufactured Gas Company of Havana announced the gradual inclusion of 25,000 new clients to the manufactured gas service in the capital, in a process that is already underway but comes with a serious warning about illegal connections that pose a risk to entire households.
In Cuba, "street gas" is the term commonly used to refer to "manufactured gas," the type that reaches homes through an extensive network of underground pipes.
Canal Caribe reported this Monday that the process to enhance the service started with identifying customers who live near the network but did not have connections. So far, 4,400 houses in that situation have been located, of which 1,068 have already been formally connected to the network.
The most alarming fact from the announcement is that, out of those 4,400 identified customers, 670 were already connected illegally.
"This group of customers underwent a review of the facilities because there were 670 customers who were already connected illegally," stated engineer Daina Álvarez, director of the Manufactured Gas Company of Unión Cuba-Petróleo (Cupet).
The authorities inspected those facilities, made the necessary corrections, and processed the corresponding contracts to regularize the situation.
The official statement was direct: "The proper use of the facilities is important. It's very risky to handle gas with inadequate resources."
In Cuba in 2026, having access to street gas is considered a true privilege, as the country is experiencing the worst fuel crisis in its recent history.
Liquefied gas, distributed in the familiar small cylinders, has not been commercially available through the regulated state channels for months, and some private companies have started selling it in foreign currency.
The Energy Minister admitted in May that Cuba has no fuel at all, “only associated gas.” He was referring to a byproduct of the extraction of national oil that can be utilized for energy generation and domestic use.
In this context, this resource has become a vital alternative for cooking, as the network does not rely on electricity, making it especially valuable when blackouts can exceed 20 hours a day.
The capital network currently serves about 208,000 clients in eight municipalities, although only 16% of the Havana population has potential access to it.
At the end of March, the expansion plan had only connected 735 homes, highlighting the slow pace of the process.
The infrastructure also faces serious issues. In May 2026, a gas leak in the Atarés neighborhood had been active for over four months without any authority addressing the repairs.
On June 3, a scheduled network shutdown occurred that caused setbacks, and the restoration did not begin until June 5.
The shortage of installation materials exacerbates the situation. Resources only appear in the informal market at prices significantly higher than the official rate, which drives some citizens to attempt clandestine connections using inappropriate materials, risking explosions that could destroy entire homes.
Those who live online and have not been contacted by the company's staff can visit the commercial establishments in their municipality to register and join the gasification plan, according to the authorities.
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