Havana experienced a return of power outages on Saturday night after a short-lived break of five days. The blackout affected block #4 for at least an hour and 26 minutes, while an automatic frequency-triggered outage plunged areas of Playa and Havana's East into darkness, as reported by Havana's Electric Company through their Telegram channel.
The capital had enjoyed roughly five consecutive days without power cuts due to a generation shortfall—from April 20 to 25—thanks to the prioritized distribution of refined Russian oil that began arriving on April 17.
This reprieve, cautiously welcomed by many residents, lasted a mere five nights before coming to an end.
Public Reaction and Frustration
Cubans took to social media, expressing their dismay with a mix of resignation and dark humor. "The first episode of the twentieth season of the endless blackout series has begun, happiness is over, stress is back," one user remarked.
"The massacre has started and this season is going to be tougher," warned another individual.
A resident from La Cumbre in San Miguel del Padrón shared that the power went out at 9:30 pm and returned around 2:00 am, noting that electrical appliances "survived by miracle" due to voltage fluctuations when the service was restored.
Unequal Distribution of Power Cuts
Another person criticized the inequity in the distribution of power cuts: "We've started again, and as usual, block 4 is the most affected because the blackout hours aren't evenly distributed."
The automatic frequency-triggered incident on Saturday night—marking the sixth of its kind in Havana this year—affected areas including Juan Manuel Márquez, Santa Fe, Boca Ciega, and Santa María del Mar.
National Generation Deficit Remains Critical
The national generation deficit continues to be at critical levels. On Saturday, the maximum impact was 1,297 MW at 8:00 pm, with a mere 1,925 MW available against a peak demand of 3,100 MW, according to data from Cuba's Electric Union.
Active failures include units 1 and 2 of the Ernesto Guevara thermal power plant, unit 6 of Nuevitas, unit 2 of Felton, and units 3 to 5 of Renté.
While Havana receives preferential treatment, provinces like Holguín, Granma, and Santiago de Cuba endure power outages lasting up to 24 hours daily, a stark contrast to the brief relief experienced by the capital.
Understanding Havana's Power Outages
What caused the recent power outages in Havana?
The recent power outages in Havana were due to a generation deficit, compounded by an automatic frequency-triggered outage affecting multiple areas.
How long did Havana go without power cuts before the outages returned?
Havana experienced approximately five days without power cuts before the outages returned.
How does the power situation in Havana compare to other provinces?
While Havana receives preferential treatment, other provinces like Holguín, Granma, and Santiago de Cuba suffer from power cuts lasting up to 24 hours daily.