The Electric Company of Villa Clara announced that, starting November 5, it will distribute electricity service during the early morning hours using a new rotation system, which includes a six-hour shift every 10 days for each block of circuits.
According to the state entity, the province will be divided into 10 blocks that will receive electricity on a rotating basis between midnight and 6:00 AM, as long as the conditions of the National Electric System (SEN) allow for it.
Engineer José Antonio Padrón Solanes, head of the operations area of the Provincial Cargo Office, explained that the circuits or municipalities scheduled to receive electricity on November 5 will have that same scheduled turn on the 15th and 25th.
The scheme establishes a 10-day rotation that will allow residents to know in advance which early morning they are scheduled to receive the service, although its implementation will depend on electrical availability.
The circuits that supply hospitals, water supply facilities, and other essential services are excluded from this rotation and will receive differentiated treatment.
If the power doesn't come, the hours are wasted
The company itself warned that the schedule does not guarantee supply during the planned six hours.
"In the event of breakdowns, generation deficiencies, or other contingencies that prevent adherence to the scheduled hours, the time of service not received will not be made up," he clarified.
This means that if a circuit does not receive electricity during its turn due to a lack of generation or a malfunction, the lost service hours will not be replenished within the announced rotation.
The measure is limited to nighttime distribution and does not set a fixed schedule for electrical service during the rest of the day.
The company justified the new scheme due to the decrease in temperatures during autumn, which could lower consumption and enable better distribution of the available electricity.
"Let's sleep three days a month": reactions from Cubans
The announcement sparked numerous reactions from residents who questioned a plan that would allow them to have electricity for approximately three nights every 30 days, and always subject to the availability of generation.
"Are you telling me that we’re going to only sleep three days a month, and only if there’s availability, of course?" a user joked on Facebook.
Another internet user reacted with similar sarcasm: "What a great achievement... how wonderful... so we'll sleep three times a month... as long as conditions allow," and reminded that it should be normal to have electricity 24 hours a day.
The concern about how to organize household chores and rest repeatedly emerged in the comments. "Then we have to change our daily schedule. Cook, wash... at night and sleep during the day. And the workplaces as well," questioned a resident.
Others criticized that the plan did not explain what would happen during the daytime, when many families need electricity to cook and carry out their daily activities. "How will they manage the rotations during the day?" asked one internet user.
There were also calls for the company to publish the composition of the 10 blocks and to provide updates through accessible channels for the population.
"Please do not post on Telegram, the connection does not allow opening Telegram or Facebook. Post on WhatsApp," requested a user.
Although criticisms and doubts about the implementation of the program predominated, some people felt it was necessary to establish a more predictable distribution.
"For now, I'm giving the benefit of the doubt and hoping that what was promised will be fulfilled because we all need it," commented a resident.
The announcement comes as Villa Clara continues to face severe power outages. The province recently experienced a failure in a 110-kilovolt line that left a large portion of the city of Santa Clara without electricity.
The Electric Company stated that it will publish every morning, through its official Telegram channel, the circuits and municipalities included in the nighttime schedule.
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