The Electric Company of Havana announced this Friday that the telebanking service for paying the electricity bill is experiencing issues, attributed to failures in the external link of the servers of the Electric Union (UNE).
According to the official statement, "due to existing issues with the external link of the Electric Union servers, the telebanking service for electric bill payments is experiencing problems."
The entity stated that the Company of Automation, Technology, and Information (ATI) is working with ETECSA on an immediate solution and apologized to its customers while recommending that they stay informed through the institution's official channels.
It's not the first time this has happened. At the beginning of August, the UNE suspended digital payment for the electricity bill through all its platforms —Transfermóvil, Enzona, and ATMs— for the same reason: server failures caused by collapses in the National Electroenergetic System (SEN).
On that occasion, UNE itself acknowledged that "the UNE's own servers have experienced problems as a result of the recent collapses of the electrical system."
The pattern repeats itself: each complete disconnection of the National Electric System damages the technological infrastructure of the Electric Union, which paralyses digital payment platforms along with the electricity supply.
Cuba has experienced at least seven total collapses of the national electrical system in 2026, including two in March, three in July, and two in August. This Friday, the UNE reported a generation capacity of only 1,080 MW against a demand of 3,300 MW, with a projected deficit of 2,140 MW.
The citizens' reaction on social media combined irony and frustration. A user noted that "this problem has been ongoing for many days," suggesting that the issue predates the official announcement.
Others questioned the very logic of the charge: "What are they going to bill us if there is never any electricity?" wrote one. "What service works in Cuba?" asked another. A third comment, laced with sarcasm, noted: "How strange! If everything in Cuba works 100%."
There were also those who took advantage of the situation with dark humor: "Perfect, no payment required." Others appealed for understanding: "Please, give us time to pay," wrote one user, while another admitted: "I haven’t been able to pay the bill; I will keep trying."
Some comments pointed to a more structural problem with bank transfers. “The State almost never accepts them; it seems that they are only going to allow them for self-employed workers,” wrote a user, questioning whether hindering private work is the true objective.
The context worsens the situation. As acknowledged by the official press in July 2026, only 3.77% of transactions in Cuba are conducted in digital format, and less than 10% of private businesses regularly accept transfers, despite more than 15,240 fines and 269 closures of establishments for not accepting electronic payments.
The recurring failures in platforms like telebanca, Transfermóvil, and Enzona—exacerbated by power outages that in some areas exceed 20 hours a day—reinforce citizens' distrust in digital payments and solidify the preference for cash, contrasting with the banking policy promoted by the regime.
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