The Electric Company of Havana has announced power outages in several municipalities of the capital due to a series of malfunctions. The main affected areas include:
1. Habana del Este: In the Camilo Cienfuegos neighborhood, the company reports that approximately 22 buildings are affected due to failures in two underground cables. Crews from the UEB Soterrada are working on repairing these issues.
2. Guanabacoa: The Chibás neighborhood is experiencing interruptions due to failures in the overhead system. Additionally, the breakage of a 34.5 kV line has impacted the areas of D'Beche and part of Ocho Vías.
3. San Miguel del Padrón: The Monterrey neighborhood is also affected by the breakage of the same 34.5 kV line.
Since early morning, several work teams from the Electric Company have been laboring in the affected areas with the goal of restoring service as quickly as possible. The entity assures that they will not cease efforts until 100% of the affected customers have electrical service restored.
Energy Crisis in the Country
These outages occur within a broader context of an ongoing energy crisis in Cuba. The National Electric Union (UNE) forecasts a 250 MW shortage at midday and a 570 MW shortfall during peak hours on Wednesday, due to limited generation capacity. The thermal generation deficit reaches 587 MW, and 32 distributed generation plants are out of service due to fuel shortages, affecting an additional 242 MW.
Yesterday, the electrical system started the day without service, partially restoring at 7:40 a.m., only to fail again shortly after at 8:37 a.m., with interruptions continuing until the early hours of today. The maximum impact yesterday was 698 MW at 8:30 p.m., coinciding with peak hours.
An Uncertain Outlook
The energy situation remains critical in the country. Despite the government's efforts to avoid blackouts during the summer, issues with fuel supply and deteriorating infrastructure have thwarted these attempts. The Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de La O Levy, recently admitted that the strategy to prevent summer blackouts had failed, with outages lasting up to 12 hours in some regions.
Meanwhile, public discontent continues to grow, especially in provinces like Bayamo, where images have been shared of families, including children, sleeping outdoors to escape the sweltering heat during power cuts.
This scenario suggests that the energy crisis in Cuba is far from being resolved, and blackouts continue to disrupt the daily lives of citizens.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Power Outages in Havana
To provide more clarity on the situation, here are some commonly asked questions and their answers regarding the recent power outages in Havana.
What caused the power outages in Havana?
The power outages in Havana were caused by a series of malfunctions in the electrical system, including failures in underground cables and the breakage of a 34.5 kV line.
Which areas are most affected by the outages?
The most affected areas include Habana del Este, Guanabacoa, and San Miguel del Padrón.
What is being done to restore power?
Several work teams from the Electric Company are actively working in the affected areas to restore service as quickly as possible.
How is the energy crisis affecting the rest of Cuba?
The energy crisis is causing widespread blackouts across the country, with significant generation deficits and outages lasting up to 12 hours in some regions.