The Electric Company of Villa Clara announced a new power outage strategy on Monday, which, rather than mitigating the energy crisis in the province, formalizes power cuts of up to 19 hours daily for much of the population. This new plan reorganizes electrical circuits into 11 blocks with rotating outage schedules, where some areas will have only five hours of electricity each day.
The measure is a response to the "critical scenario" of the country's power generation deficit, as stated on the state entity's Facebook page. Six of these blocks will be managed from substations with electricity service in two segments (shifts of three and two hours with power), while the remaining five will rely on direct intervention from guard units, offering a single five-hour window with electricity.
There are exceptions to this system: priority circuits such as hospitals, aqueducts, and those related to the sugar harvest will be protected during their critical operating times. Similarly, circuits associated with the Derivative Frequency (DFDT), crucial for national grid stability, will maintain a minimum load of 10 megawatts (MW), according to the information provided.
In another post, the Villa Clara electrical company warned that schedules might change if national availability improves, though it provides no real guarantee of stability. Meanwhile, the official chart's white zones—indicating periods without electricity—cover most of the day.
According to authorities, the new planning pattern is designed "to balance demand, protect essential processes, and ensure greater equity in service." However, the reality is far from a solution: it underscores the deterioration of the electrical system, the inability to maintain basic service coverage, and the worsening energy scarcity affecting Cuban families.
In practice, this plan deepens the structural blackout that the country already experiences, forcing the population to reorganize their lives around an electrical survival logic, where hours with power are an exception.
Last week, authorities in Matanzas, the second-largest electricity-consuming province in Cuba, announced an increase in the "maximum blackout" in the area from 9.3% to 10% of the total national impact, confirming the intensification of the energy crisis in the country.
This Tuesday, Cuba awoke engulfed in a severe energy situation, following a full day and night of continuous blackouts. Although the activation of unit 3 in Santa Cruz del Norte, Mayabeque, with 70 MW is expected, the UNE forecasted a deficit of 1,440 MW for the nighttime peak, with an estimated impact of 1,510 MW during that period.
On May 1st, the Cuban regime offered a "miraculous" electrical reprieve to project an image of stability during the International Workers' Day celebrations. However, this artificial relief was short-lived. The following day, blackouts returned with intensity, lasting for hours and affecting large areas of the country.
With just a month before the official start of summer, the outlook remains dire, and authorities continue to make vague and empty promises, while the population continues to endure widespread and frequent blackouts across the nation.
The government of Miguel Díaz-Canel has implemented a strategy of scheduling blackouts throughout the year to perform maintenance and repair breakdowns in thermoelectric plants, with the aim of having them fully operational by summer, when consumption peaks in the country. However, this strategy has yet to yield results.
According to the official newspaper Granma, the regime is working on a "gradual" strategy to restore the electrical system, although officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem) admit that power outages will not decrease in the short term, and they plan to reduce them to "only" four hours daily this summer.
Nonetheless, a recent video shows Santiago de Cuba experiencing a blackout while hotels remain lit, highlighting the regime's policy of prioritizing tourism over the basic needs of the population.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What is the new power outage strategy in Villa Clara?
The new strategy involves restructuring electrical circuits into 11 blocks with rotating outage schedules, resulting in up to 19 hours of outages daily for some areas.
Why is Cuba facing such a severe energy crisis?
Cuba is experiencing a critical power generation deficit, exacerbated by maintenance challenges and the regime's prioritization of tourism over essential services.
How does the government's strategy affect the population?
The strategy forces the population to adapt to a survival mode regarding electricity use, with limited hours of power and no guarantee of improvement.