A widespread power outage that struck Cuba at midday on Friday also impacted the electrical circuit supplying the country’s main tourist hub, leaving several hotels in Varadero without power due to failures in their backup systems. Reports of the blackout were shared on social media by users claiming to be at the renowned beach resort, witnessing the pervasive darkness in some of its tourist facilities.
"For those who doubted... I'm in a Varadero hotel, and the power just went out. This is really bad now," wrote a Cuban woman on Facebook, echoing the accounts of other users who also reported outages at their hotels.
The power failures in hotels left many tourists bewildered and frustrated. "There's no electricity at the Meliá Las Américas," one internet user commented. "Yes, Varadero is in a blackout. They're relying on generators. Confirmed, I live in Matanzas," stated another.
"Total blackout in Varadero's tourist hub. Dollars are gone"; "Blackout in Varadero hotels. This is the last straw. Tourists are complaining a lot," were sentiments expressed by various profiles on Facebook, claiming to have reliable information about the unusual incident.
This Friday at noon, Cuba's Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) announced a complete disconnection of the National Electric System (SEN) after the Guiteras thermoelectric plant went offline. "At 11:07 this morning, due to the conditions under which the SEN is operating, a total disconnection occurred following the shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant. The Electric Union is working to restore the Electrical System," declared the UNE on social media.
In an emergency update, MINEM's director of electricity, Lázaro Guerra Hernández, indicated there was no set timeline for full service restoration, although efforts were underway to reconnect the electrical system as swiftly as possible.
By Saturday morning, minor progress had been made towards supplying power to thermal plants to restart them. "Currently, we have microsystems in all provinces except Artemisa, which have limited power and reach consumers near them," Guerra Hernández explained. However, before 7:00 a.m., the SEN collapsed entirely once more, negating the minimal advancements made in its restoration.
Earlier in September, a supposed lightning strike caused a massive blackout in Varadero, plunging the area into complete darkness. Nonetheless, the Matanzas electric company managed to resolve the issue "in a matter of minutes." This was reported by official journalist José Miguel Solís, referencing information provided via Telegram by the state company responsible for service in the famous tourist area.
As a premier tourist destination under the Cuban regime, blackouts in Varadero are extremely uncommon. The beach resort's connection to the national electric system (SEN) is bolstered by a dedicated electricity supply from the Energás Varadero plant. In September 2022, following a massive blackout that enveloped the entire island in darkness, the energy circuit serving Varadero struggled to recover due to technical issues at this plant caused by the SEN's complete collapse.