The Cuban Electric Union (UNE) has released a statement outlining the actions being implemented in response to the country's severe energy crisis. These measures, effective starting this Friday, include:
- Discontinuation of non-essential services that consume energy.
- The Ministry of Culture (MINCULT) is canceling all cultural activities in both the state and non-state sectors.
- Only essential facilities such as hospitals and food production centers will remain operational.
- Closure of nightclubs, recreation centers, and other venues that attract large crowds.
- The Ministry of Education (MINED) has suspended educational activities from Friday through Sunday at all levels.
- Activation of all Energy Councils at national, provincial, and municipal levels.
- Only essential personnel will continue to work in offices.
In a separate post by state media journalist Lázaro Manuel Alonso, he emphasized that "the decision has been made to prioritize residential electricity, allowing only essential and production-related state centers to operate."
He further noted, "The Prime Minister's directive calls for the general disconnection of non-essential workplaces, the use of telecommuting, measures for high-consumption entities, and establishing consumption plans for the non-state sector."
Alonso also mentioned that "the Political Bureau has approved a plan to address the current national electrical system situation, which includes the gradual recovery of thermoelectric plants and installations."
On Thursday night, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz appeared in a challenging broadcast on Cuban radio and television, alongside officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, to discuss the current energy crisis. Marrero Cruz emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that a swift resolution is not anticipated.
"Three significant factors contribute to the electricity generation deficit: infrastructure conditions, fuel shortages, and increased demand," he explained, highlighting that the lack of fuel is the most critical issue.
The UNE reported that on Thursday night, power outages totaled 1,642 MW, slightly below the estimated 1,678 MW but still a record figure in the ongoing energy crisis affecting the country.