In the midst of continuous and frustrating blackouts that have plagued Cuban families for months, with a notable increase at the beginning of May, the Electric Company persists in its usual energy-saving campaign. Through a Facebook post, the entity urged Havana residents to adopt energy saving as a habitual practice to prevent annoying interruptions.
However, the Cuban public's responses to this call were immediate, expressing exhaustion and irritation at the typical propagandistic campaigns. "I would like to know when we are supposed to save, if there is more time without electricity than with it," commented one user.
Meanwhile, another person expressed hope that "hopefully, saving electricity will put an end to the blackouts." One user highlighted their current plight, saying, "No power again. How long will this go on? It was already cut off this morning. Now again?" In response, another added, "Come to Mayabeque and see what 17 hours of blackout and only a few with power is like."
From this May, the Union Electrica de Cuba (UNE) announced that blackouts will increase in June due to the ramping up of maintenance work at several Thermal Power Plants (CTE). "As has been reported from January to June, maintenance activities at Thermal Plants, Energás, and Distributed Generation are being increased in order to cope with the higher electric consumption and demand expected in July and August, which are also vacation months for many," explained a post by the entity on Facebook.
However, Cubans have started to protest, signaling a prelude to larger events of discontent with this new wave of blackouts. Residents of Las Tunas and Camagüey took to the streets banging pots to demand attention to this situation. Similarly, a mother from Cienfuegos voiced her frustrations during a live broadcast on Facebook.
Even this past Mother's Day, Cubans were not spared from the long and exhausting blackouts that have tormented them over recent months.