On Monday, a malfunction at the Hanabanilla hydroelectric plant triggered the collapse of an isolated electrical microsystem in Villa Clara. This failure once again left several circuits, including those powering the province's hospitals, without electricity just hours after they had been restored.
The Villa Clara Electric Company acknowledged the issue on Facebook, explaining that the breakdown occurred unexpectedly while the region was disconnected from the National Electric System (SEN).
"A short while ago, an issue arose at the Hanabanilla hydroelectric plant, resulting in the loss of service for some circuits, including those serving hospitals," the company announced.
The company also emphasized the inherent vulnerability of these microsystems to sudden disruptions.
"It is essential for our customers to understand that these are isolated and vulnerable systems, making them susceptible to abrupt failures or interruptions during the ongoing contingency," they added.
Another Setback Following National Grid Collapse
This breakdown came mere hours after the sixth total collapse of the National Electric System in 2026, which occurred at 10:43 p.m. on Sunday when the national grid completely disconnected.
In response, Villa Clara had begun operating using a microsystem supported by the Hanabanilla hydroelectric plant, distributed generation plants, and solar parks to ensure electricity for essential services while the SEN recovery was underway.
On Monday morning, Damián Jiménez, the technical director of the Villa Clara Electric Company, announced that specialists were working to restore the microsystem.
Jiménez outlined a strategy that included gradually reintegrating distributed generation units in Santa Clara, Calabazar de Sagua, and Remedios, as well as restoring service to hospitals, water pumping systems, and a select group of circuits in Santa Clara, Placetas, Remedios, Caibarién, and Sagua la Grande, deemed critical for maintaining system stability.
Efforts were also made to synchronize, albeit with limitations, several of the province's 11 solar parks. As a backup, Unit 2 of the Ernesto Guevara de la Serna thermoelectric plant in Santa Cruz del Norte and Unit 3 of Energás Varadero remained operational.
Hanabanilla Plant Fails Again at a Crucial Time
With an installed capacity of 43 megawatts, the Hanabanilla hydroelectric plant, located in the municipality of Manicaragua, serves as the primary support for Villa Clara's microsystem during national electrical system emergencies.
This is not the first time the plant has experienced a malfunction during an energy crisis. In March, a fault in the 110-kilovolt La Lima transmission line rendered the facility inoperative, reducing the province's electrical supply to just 49 of over 200 circuits.
Among the comments on the official announcement, a user attributed the latest interruption to an unconfirmed technical issue.
"The circuit that provides proven stability to the Hanabanilla hydroelectric plant wasn't connected this time. And I'm not saying it; specialists have mentioned it several times," they wrote.
Growing Public Discontent
The microsystem's failure sparked a fresh wave of criticism from Villa Clara residents, many of whom reported enduring several days without electricity.
In Caibarién, users reported being without power for 49 consecutive hours at the time of the official statement.
"We've been in this contingency for many months. How much longer will they continue with the empty words and no solutions?" a resident asked in frustration.
The mounting frustration among Villa Clara's population comes amid a worsening Cuban electrical system. On July 30, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, acknowledged that some communities have been without electricity for up to 105 days and admitted that the nation's energy crisis "has no short-term solution," highlighting the severity of the ongoing collapse of the national electrical infrastructure.
Understanding the Electrical Crisis in Villa Clara
What caused the recent power outage in Villa Clara?
The power outage in Villa Clara was caused by a malfunction at the Hanabanilla hydroelectric plant, which led to the collapse of the isolated electrical microsystem in the area.
How is Villa Clara coping with the energy crisis?
Villa Clara is utilizing a microsystem supported by the Hanabanilla hydroelectric plant, distributed generation plants, and solar parks to provide electricity to essential services while the national grid is being restored.
What measures are being taken to restore power in Villa Clara?
Efforts to restore power in Villa Clara include reintegrating distributed generation units and synchronizing solar parks, as well as restoring service to critical circuits in key areas.