A resident from Manatí, located in Las Tunas, reported on Friday that her community has been experiencing continuous power outages lasting over 24 hours each day. She stated that this situation has worsened in recent weeks without any response from the authorities.
Lili Romero, who has consistently spoken out about the electricity crisis in the municipality, described the severity of the outages in a video shared on her Facebook profile.
"Here in Manatí, we have been enduring more than 24-hour blackouts every day. It's not just 20 hours anymore; it's 24 hours and more without power daily," she stated.
Romero's report indicates a deterioration from her previous accounts. At the start of September, she had documented over 22 hours without electricity, and days later, noted the municipality received merely an hour and 45 minutes of power per day.
She also questioned why, despite having infrastructure for solar energy production, the residents of Manatí remain without electricity for entire days.
"We don't understand why, if we have a photovoltaic park for renewable energy, it doesn't work for our municipality?" she asked.
The Broader Impact of Power Outages
A commenter explained that the solar parks are connected to the National Electric Power System and their production supports the system at large, rather than being allocated solely to the municipality they occupy.
Romero further challenged the explanations given for the ongoing electrical crisis. According to her, when there is oil, the problems are attributed to a lack of spare parts for the thermoelectric plants, and when there's no sun, natural conditions are blamed. "It's always an excuse for the inexcusable... we're dying here, people," she declared.
The comments accompanying the video reveal that these extended outages are also affecting other areas in Las Tunas.
Residents of Manatí have noted that when electricity does return, it lasts less than an hour, sometimes not even allowing enough time to charge a phone.
From Güáimaro, in the neighboring province of Camagüey, a commenter mentioned that after 46 hours without power, only two hours of service were provided.
Another individual expressed concern for the children, particularly due to the difficulty of sleeping during the power cuts and then attending school the next day.
Community Reactions and Solar Power Limitations
Other users defended Romero against those criticizing her complaints. "If everyone spoke up, things might change. It's not complaining; it's about demanding the basic rights people have to essentials," one commenter wrote.
Solar photovoltaic generation offers only partial and daytime relief. On Wednesday, solar parks generated 3,343 MWh, reaching a peak capacity of 520 MW at noon.
The eastern province has eight completed solar photovoltaic parks with a theoretical installed capacity of 64.8 megawatts. However, this infrastructure barely ensures an average of two and a half hours of electricity daily for its municipalities, acknowledged Anisley Santiesteban Velázquez, general director of the Las Tunas Electric Company, in late August.
Despite the expansion of photovoltaic sites, residents of Las Tunas continue to endure blackouts that last most of the day amid a national electrical crisis with generation deficits exceeding 2,300 MW this year.
While the government boasts about the renewable energy infrastructure, this capacity fails to offset the thermal system's failures or meet nighttime demand, which is when the outages become most severe.
Understanding the Power Crisis in Las Tunas
What is causing the extended power outages in Manatí?
The extended power outages in Manatí are attributed to the inefficiency of the electrical infrastructure, despite having solar energy capabilities. The solar parks are connected to the National Electric Power System and do not solely supply the local municipality, leading to prolonged outages.
How are residents coping with the frequent blackouts?
Residents are facing significant challenges due to the frequent blackouts, with electricity often returning for less than an hour. This situation affects daily activities, including the ability to charge devices, and creates difficulties for children attending school.
What steps are being taken to resolve the electricity crisis?
Efforts to resolve the electricity crisis include the expansion of solar photovoltaic infrastructure. However, these measures have not been sufficient to counteract the ongoing generation deficits and fail to provide adequate power during nighttime hours.