The Electric Union of Cuba (UNE) has announced the integration of the "La Criolla" solar park in Villa Clara into the national grid, boasting a capacity of 4.4 MW. "This new investment, a Chinese donation, saves an average of five tons of fuel," the entity boasted on its Facebook page.
Despite the company's enthusiasm, the post attracted over 200 comments from frustrated Cubans enduring an energy crisis and power outages lasting up to 20 hours. "Lots of solar parks, and donated too, just as the Cuban government likes, but we continue to suffer long hours of blackouts, unable to sleep and stressing over the little food we have going bad," lamented a woman.
"Great, we need 240 more of these so we don’t have blackouts, and they should be donated too," quipped an emigrant.
"A glimmer (like a firefly) at the end of the tunnel. We need many to get a good night's sleep and restore our bodies and nervous systems, which only repair during the night so we can go to work and school the next day," added a resident of Sancti Spíritus.
"What's the point! Everything is getting worse. The blackouts in Cienfuegos are nothing like what was promised. No more explanations and posts that solve nothing," criticized a doctor.
"Where is the electricity? Because the blackouts in Caibarién only increase in number and intensity. Circuit 3 has been without power for three nights straight. Enough is enough, Cubans," questioned another woman.
These days, Cubans' complaints flood social media, where they report the frequent and prolonged daily blackouts and denounce the Electric Union for its treatment of the population.
Particularly intense are the protests in some localities suffering power cuts of up to 16 hours or more, leading to spoiled food in an environment of intense heat, mosquitoes, and sleepless nights.
The worst part is that the situation is not expected to improve. Last week, the UNE indicated that blackouts would increase in June due to heightened maintenance on several thermoelectric plants.
"From January to June, maintenance activities on thermal power plants, Energás, and distributed generation have increased to prepare for the peak consumption and demand months of July and August, which are also the population's vacation months," the entity explained.
The Union affirmed it would complete the maintenance plan by the end of June to minimize summer disruptions. However, there will still be blackouts in July and August "if there are unforeseen outages of generation units."
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
In light of the ongoing energy crisis in Cuba, many residents are seeking answers to their pressing questions. Below, we address some of the most common queries about the situation.
Why are the blackouts in Cuba so frequent?
The frequent blackouts in Cuba are primarily due to the aging infrastructure of the power plants, insufficient maintenance, and the increasing demand for electricity during peak months.
How is the government addressing the energy crisis?
The Cuban government, through the Electric Union, is attempting to address the crisis by increasing maintenance activities on thermal power plants and integrating renewable energy sources like the "La Criolla" solar park into the national grid.
Will the new solar park reduce blackouts?
While the new solar park will contribute to the grid, its 4.4 MW capacity is not sufficient to significantly reduce blackouts across the country. More renewable energy projects and infrastructure improvements are needed.