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The province of Matanzas is facing one of the worst electrical crises in recent years. In some circuits, power outages have already exceeded 70 consecutive hours, and eight substations remain completely out of service, according to the latest check conducted by the authorities of the Party and the provincial Government, as cited by the official Periódico Girón.
Kenny Cruz González, deputy technical director of the Provincial Electric Company, explained that four of these substations—Lagunilla, Carbonera, Fine, and Bolondrón—stopped operating due to technical failures. The other four—México, Gratitud, Manuelito, and San Joaquín—were rendered unusable following the theft of the dielectric oil from their transformers.
The Theft of This Resource has become one of the main factors exacerbating the energy crisis in the province. Dielectric oil is essential for cooling electrical transformers, but it is resold on the black market as an alternative fuel for agricultural machinery, at prices ranging from 600 to over 1,000 pesos per liter.
The situation worsened on June 27, when authorities reported the theft of more than a thousand liters of this oil in various locations across the territory.
In addition, the deterioration of the electrical infrastructure is a concern. Currently, 63 transformers remain damaged throughout the province, several of which are difficult to replace, with accumulated damage dating back to May.
The municipalities of Cárdenas and Jovellanos have the highest number of pending repairs, primarily due to the fuel shortage that has halted many maintenance brigades.
The vulnerability of Matanzas is not new. The province historically records the highest "dispatchable maximum" in the country, with 174 megawatts distributed across 123 circuits, against an average demand of 238 MW, a gap that makes it one of the most exposed to any failure of the National Electric System.
That situation is further complicated by the instability of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric power plant, located in the same province and considered the main generator in the country. The plant has experienced 16 disconnections so far in 2026; the most recent occurred on June 24 due to a water loss in the boiler.
The provincial crisis reflects the energy collapse that Cuba is experiencing. For this Tuesday, the Electric Union (UNE) anticipates a generation deficit of 2,052 MW, with a availability of only 1,148 MW against an estimated demand of 3,200 MW, a scenario that keeps much of the country subjected to prolonged power outages.
Energy issues coincide with other difficulties affecting the population. More than 500 tons of rice are awaiting distribution due to transportation problems, while the distribution of peas is also experiencing delays.
In the financial sector, pension payments reach 80% at the Banco de Crédito y Comercio (Bandec) and 90% at the Banco Popular de Ahorro (BPA), although the municipalities of Colón and Perico continue to face significant difficulties due to a lack of cash.
During the meeting, Governor Marieta Poey Zamora acknowledged the difficult conditions in which many elderly people have to wait for hours under the intense sun in front of bank branches to access their pensions.
"We need to find strategies to avoid overcrowding in banks. The sun is too strong, the heat is intense, and these are vulnerable elderly people," he stated.
The official also requested to strengthen nutrition in the Family Care Systems (SAF) in light of the prolonged power outages and the start of the school holidays.
"The SAF needs to enhance its offerings. We should prepare croquettes, hamburgers, fritters... We have the children at home, on vacation, so it's essential to increase production everywhere," he stated.
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