Havana's Electric Company (EELH) declared on Wednesday that it will begin implementing early morning power outages as an emergency measure to address the ongoing electricity generation shortfall affecting the National Electric System (SEN).
New Measures Amid Energy Collapse
According to a statement released on Facebook, these additional outages are intended to "balance the impacts of the generation deficit on the SEN in the capital." The company stated that power will be cut off for up to an hour during the early morning in circuits that were not impacted during the scheduled daytime and nighttime outages.
"EELH will interrupt service for up to an hour during the early morning for clients associated with planned blocks that were not affected in the scheduled timeframe," the announcement explained.
Reality Surpasses Official Plans
Despite the company's claims that daily blackouts are scheduled in blocks lasting four hours between 10:00 am and 12:00 am, Havana residents are experiencing interruptions ranging from six to seven hours. In a follow-up post, the company mentioned that post-midnight outages will be applied "in the same order they were conducted during the day, starting with circuits that were not affected."
Persistent Instability
This latest announcement from EELH adds to an escalating energy crisis in Cuba, with frequent blackouts affecting both urban and rural areas, significantly impacting the quality of life and the operation of economic and social sectors. The combination of inadequate power generation, structural problems in thermal power plants, and fuel shortages has left the country in a state of severe energy vulnerability.
Meanwhile, authorities continue to rely on contingency measures that fail to address the root of the problem, further disrupting the daily lives of Cubans.
Understanding Havana's Power Outage Crisis
What is causing the power outages in Havana?
The power outages are primarily due to a generation deficit in the National Electric System (SEN), compounded by structural issues in thermal power plants and a shortage of fuel.
How long are the scheduled power outages in Havana?
Scheduled power outages are officially planned to last four hours, but in practice, residents are experiencing outages ranging from six to seven hours.
What measures is EELH taking to address the power crisis?
EELH is implementing early morning power outages to balance the generation deficit impact, affecting circuits not previously impacted during scheduled outages.