While Cuban citizens endure power outages lasting up to 18 or 19 hours a day, the socialist regime's new proposal isn't to eradicate these disruptions but to make them more "manageable." This was articulated by Alfredo López Valdés, the General Director of the Cuban Electric Union (UNE), during an episode of the podcast "From the Presidency," where leader Miguel Díaz-Canel discussed the energy crisis alongside Energy and Mines Minister, Vicente de la O Levy.
López candidly admitted that eliminating blackouts is not feasible: “Ideally, there would be no blackouts. That’s not going to be possible. But we can make them manageable,” he stated bluntly, abandoning past promises to end summer power cuts, which only served to deceive the public during the warmer months.
His suggestion focuses on improving rotation schedules to ensure that public dissatisfaction is "better organized," although he acknowledged that when the deficit affects 90% of the circuits, the system collapses and becomes uncontrollable. Justifying this "organization," the official explained that the UNE supposedly operates a technical monitoring system that analyzes daily electrical dispatch "day by day, province by province," essentially a juggling act with scarcity and hardship.
Claims of Control, But Reality Tells a Different Story
A technical tracking table, managed by an internal technical directorate led by a former dispatch chief, evaluates and issues daily recommendations. However, this apparent control fails to translate into real improvements for the population; quite the opposite. The more "rigorous the control," the worse the crisis becomes.
One example highlighted was in Holguín, where several important hospitals are connected to two electrical circuits that alternate to distribute electricity between the facilities and nearby homes. This creates a perception among citizens that some have electricity for longer periods than others, fueling discontent. López was quick to point out that similar situations occur in many cities, although he refrained from naming others specifically.
Díaz-Canel's Justification and Admission of Failure
Díaz-Canel attempted to justify the widespread dissatisfaction by claiming that “people who understand what's happening” only want to know when they'll have electricity. According to him, citizens aren't protesting the lack of power itself but rather the absence of information.
“What I need to know is when I will have electricity, for how long, and when it will be restored,” he quoted as a common complaint heard during his visits to provinces and municipalities.
He also acknowledged that some provinces face "more complex situations," mentioning Pinar del Río, Cienfuegos, and Matanzas directly, where blackouts exceed 20 hours daily. In these areas, as he noted, the management of electrical circuits is even more disorganized, leaving many communities without power for extended periods, with no clear plan. According to Díaz-Canel, the energy crisis problem lies not in system collapse but in poor planning.
The most telling moment came when López Valdés admitted that when outages last 18 or 19 hours, manageability becomes impossible: “When there is an 18, 19-hour blackout, it is very difficult to manage. If not impossible.” This confession makes it clear that UNE lacks the real capacity to ensure even a rational distribution of the hardships.
Continuation of the Energy Crisis
The official message, in summary, is not that the crisis will end. It is that it will be managed in a way that causes "less inconvenience," although reality shows that even this is not guaranteed. Back in May 2024, Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy publicly acknowledged that Cuban blackouts were "bearable," downplaying the severity of the energy crisis and preparing the nation for a situation with no short-term solution.
At that time, Cuban authorities claimed that cuts would be unavoidable during the summer, due to deteriorating infrastructure and fuel shortages, although they promised efforts to reduce their duration. Recently, a year later, the regime confirmed that blackouts would persist through July and August. According to the General Director of Electricity, Lázaro Guerra, the energy deficit would exceed 1,500 MW, a figure far above the available generation capacity, making it impossible to ensure a stable supply.
The fundamental causes mentioned were the shutdown of thermal power plants, increased demand, and dependence on imported diesel. Despite promises of improvements through renewable energy and technical maintenance, officials admitted that they could only aspire to a partial reduction in the disruptions.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Challenges
Why can't Cuba eliminate blackouts entirely?
The Cuban Electric Union admits that eliminating blackouts entirely is not feasible due to infrastructure deterioration, high demand, and dependency on imported fuels.
What is the Cuban government's strategy to manage power outages?
Their strategy focuses on making power outages more "manageable" through improved rotation schedules and technical monitoring, although effectiveness is questionable.
Which areas in Cuba are most affected by power outages?
Provinces like Pinar del Río, Cienfuegos, and Matanzas are particularly affected, experiencing blackouts exceeding 20 hours daily.