The Cuban capital, like the rest of the country, is suffering another mass blackout, the third in eight days this Tuesday, and just hours after the new disconnection of the National Electric System (SEN), only 4% of customers in Havana have electricity.
The Electric Company of Havana (EELH) reported on its official channels that only nine substations and 11 distribution circuits have been restored, benefiting 33,188 customers with just 17 MW of power.
Of the approximately 787,000 customers in the capital, the vast majority remain without power.
Among the services that do have electricity, the EELH mentioned only one hospital and a water supply booster, highlighting the severity of the situation for the people of Havana.
"We inform the public that, following the disconnection from the National Electric System (SEN), the following have been restored: Substations: 9. 11 distribution circuits benefiting 33,188 customers (17 MW), accounting for 4% in the city. Vital health services: 1 (hospitals). Water supply: 1 pump. The restoration is being carried out gradually as conditions of the SEN allow," stated the state-owned company.
Meanwhile, the Electric Union (UNE) reported that the thermal power plants Ernesto Guevara, in Santa Cruz del Norte, Mayabeque, and Máximo Gómez, in Mariel, Artemisa, received energy to prepare for the startup of their units Mariel 5, Habana 1, and Habana 2, indicating that the recovery process of the National Electric System (SEN) is still in its initial phases.
The total disconnection of the SEN occurred at 11:05 AM, as confirmed by the UNE through its official channels.
According to the state institution, the outage of Unit 1 of the Felton thermoelectric plant, in Holguín, generated "an oscillation in the system parameters with a sudden change in frequency, which caused the SEN to go offline."
The speed at which disconnections from the SEN are occurring is unprecedented in the history of the electric sector on the island.
The fourth total blackout of the year occurred on Friday, July 10, at 4:30 PM, due to a failure in the 220 kV transmission line between Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus.
Four days earlier, on July 6, the SEN had already collapsed for the third time this year without the Electric Union being able to identify an immediate technical cause.
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