On Thursday, October 17th, Cuba's Electric Union (UNE) predicted power outages reaching 1,678 MW. By the following day at 11 a.m., the country's largest thermoelectric plant, the Guitera in Matanzas, was offline, leading to a complete collapse of the national electrical system (SEN) that left the island in darkness for three consecutive days.
During this period, Cubans endured a nightmare, grappling with the chaos and anxiety of being without electricity in their homes. The nation came to a standstill; schools and all non-essential work activities were suspended, and for 72 hours, the focus remained on restoring the SEN, a recovery that even now remains incomplete.
Worries over spoiled food in refrigerators, disruption of water supply services, the need to charge cell phones, and staying informed as Hurricane Oscar approached compounded the stress, especially for the elderly, children, and those who are ill. The situation created genuine distress among the population.
Mounting Concerns Over New Blackout Alerts
This Thursday, alarms were raised once more as UNE announced potential "impacts" nearing 1,600 MW. This warning was perceived by many Cubans as a harbinger of another possible total SEN collapse, which, given recent experiences, seemed imminent.
Adding to the public's unease, Havana's Electric Company announced via social media the need to "impact the service, by emergency," affecting capital residents—a subset of Cubans who have experienced fewer blackouts since the energy crisis began in 2019.
Residents in Block 2 were notified of extraordinary four-hour outages (from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.), while those in Blocks 3 and 4 would face an additional hour of "impact" (from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.).
Longer Blackouts for Maintenance in Havana Neighborhoods
Moreover, on Thursday, several Havana neighborhoods will endure an eight-hour blackout due to "maintenance actions." These scheduled interruptions will affect residents from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in areas such as La Güinera (Arroyo Naranjo municipality); Reparto Abel Santamaría (Boyeros); Calle 31 in front of Military Unit 1700, Alberro (Cotorro); Monumental km13, reparto Kala Kala (Guanabacoa); Carretera de Justiz, Vía Blanca, Santa Bárbara (Habana del Este); Reparto San Agustín (La Lisa); interior of Ciudad Libertad (Marianao); Calle 11, % 130 and 146, Cubanacán (Playa); Calle 35, Ave. Colón, from 35 to 6, calle 39, Loma y Bella Vista, from Lombillo to Santa Ana, from Panorama to Avenida Independencia (Plaza); and La Rosalía at Miranda and 2nd, San Francisco de Paula (San Miguel del Padrón).
This scenario in the capital, along with the forecasted blackouts for Thursday and news that nine thermoelectric units remain disconnected from the SEN due to breakdowns and maintenance—one more than the previous day—has Cubans fearing that the country's outlook for power generation grows increasingly dim.