A Cuban mother named Yindra Morales took to Facebook this Wednesday to voice her frustration over the ongoing power outages that have left thousands of families on the island exhausted. At 9:45 PM, her neighborhood in El Mamey, Arroyo Naranjo, Havana, remained without electricity, despite promises that it would be restored by 9 PM.
"Where is there electricity? Because here in this circuit, it was supposed to be back by 9:00, and we're still without power. It's now 9:45 PM, and nothing's changed," Morales wrote in her Facebook post, urging her friends to share the plight of the PG980 circuit.
In her message, Morales highlighted the severe impact these outages have on the most vulnerable: "What a way to start the week for kids going to school and for those of us who work. Another night without electricity, mosquitoes biting us, and no sleep."
Morales painted a picture of a night shrouded in darkness, a small lamp on the verge of dying, mosquitoes buzzing, and a body too tired to face the next day. "The body can't rest like this. This is unbearable, for God's sake. It's cruelty, it's inhumane," she lamented.
The municipality of Arroyo Naranjo is one of the areas in Havana facing the most frequent power cuts this September. According to the local outage map, the PG940 circuit in that area experienced 29 hours and 47 minutes without power on September 5, and more than 14 hours this past Wednesday. The PG980 circuit, where Morales resides, was among those affected on September 11 due to a generation shortfall.
Morales's experience is not unique. On September 2, another Cuban mother declared she wouldn't send her children to school as long as they couldn't sleep or rest. The next day, a third mother shared an image of her child sleeping on the floor when he should have been resting, only for the power to be cut.
Back in May, Zea Gisselle recounted how her son was up at 2 AM due to the heat and mosquitoes, managing to attend school only two days that week. In July, another Havana resident described receiving electricity only between 3 and 7 AM, forcing her to complete household chores during her normal sleeping hours.
Cuba began the 2026 school year amid widespread blackouts, with only 1,020 MW available versus a demand of 3,300 MW on the first day of classes, as reported by the National Electric Union. This shortfall left up to 70% of the island without power simultaneously, according to Infobae.
The National Electric Union warned in August that power outages could worsen from September to December due to several thermoelectric units being under maintenance or out of order, offering little hope for families like Yindra Morales's.
"We need karma to catch up already. Look: total darkness, my lamp is running out," the mother concluded in her post.
Understanding the Impact of Power Outages in Cuba
Why are power outages frequent in Cuba?
Frequent power outages in Cuba are primarily due to insufficient electricity generation capacity. Maintenance issues and breakdowns at thermoelectric plants exacerbate the problem.
How do power outages affect daily life in Cuba?
Power outages disrupt daily life by affecting children's ability to attend school, causing sleep deprivation, and hindering everyday tasks, often forcing families to complete chores during nighttime hours.
What measures are being taken to address the power shortage in Cuba?
The Cuban government attempts to manage power shortages by scheduling rolling blackouts and working on plant maintenance. However, these measures have not been sufficient to meet the high demand.