CubaHeadlines

Matanzas Struggles in Darkness: Ineffective Electrical "Solutions" Amid Persistent Blackouts

Sunday, June 29, 2025 by Edward Lopez

Amid a relentless national energy crisis, the Electric Company of Matanzas has announced a series of measures intended to alleviate power outages. However, their own statements confirm that the disruptions are far from over. In May, local authorities in this energy-intensive province, the second-highest electricity consumer in Cuba, disclosed an increase in the allowable outage threshold from 9.3% to 10% of the national total. This decision underscores the deepening energy crisis plaguing the country.

Alejandro Rodríguez Azpeitía, the provincial director of the Matanzas Electric Company, mentioned that they managed to reduce peak demand from 172 to 140 megawatts (MW) by integrating solar parks and implementing new technical protections. Despite these efforts, he noted that the figures fluctuate monthly, relying on an overloaded and unstable system.

Rodríguez revealed in statements to the official newspaper Girón that national agreements included reducing the allowable outage threshold by 4 MW for every photovoltaic park synchronized with the National Electroenergetic System (NES). This reduction would apply between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., when the solar parks are operational. He clarified that the "protected" megawatts or so-called "non-outage" circuits do not imply that other users are receiving less power, even though this remains the prevalent perception among the population.

Challenges with Solar Parks and Circuit Protection

The company is banking on solar parks like the one in Colón, which is still under construction, and others in Guanábana with a capacity of 21.8 MW, along with three smaller ones (5 MW) funded by donations, located in Agramonte, Jovellanos, and Cárdenas. Measures have been taken to isolate their circuits from the general population. Additionally, frequency derivative protection has been implemented to prevent widespread blackouts, but this protection is only active in eight circuits, ensuring merely 10 MW of "on" power during crises. The majority of the area remains susceptible to system failures.

Rodríguez acknowledged that scheduled blackouts are occurring in hospitals and essential circuits at specific times to rotate outages. At the pediatric hospital, backup power is damaged with no immediate fix, although "alternatives are being sought," he stated.

Public Frustration and System Overload

Public grievances have exceeded 200 in the provincial capital due to the inability to make repairs without electricity for testing. Only after national authorization to "power up" during repairs and with assistance from Havana and Cienfuegos teams did they start addressing the backlog. Nevertheless, faulty transformers remain unresolved due to a lack of parts, as the national factory has halted operations.

The director also pointed out that private businesses are connecting to non-outage circuits to avoid interruptions, overloading the network. Worse yet, company personnel have been caught "hooking up" individuals from outage-prone zones to non-outage circuits, causing damages such as burned transformers in municipalities like Jovellanos and Versalles.

Matanzas' average consumption varies between 240 and 270 MW. On a day like this past Saturday, when the Electric Union (UNE) predicted a maximum impact of up to 1,977 MW during peak evening hours, the province could face legally sanctioned cuts of up to 197 MW (10%), which equates to 73% to 82% of the province's total consumption. This means that potentially 3 out of 4 residents in this province, with a population exceeding 670,000, could be left without electricity at the same time, even within the "officially approved" limits.

Extended Outages and Citizen Protests

In early June, the Matanzas Electric Company announced a new electricity supply rotation, implementing a schedule of three hours of service for every six hours without power. However, a resident in the town of Limonar, Matanzas, recently reported on social media experiencing blackouts lasting up to 22 consecutive hours, a situation she claims is not mirrored elsewhere in the country. Nevertheless, in the Yumurino territory, outages of up to 32 consecutive hours have been reported, sparking frustration and protests among citizens.

Understanding Matanzas' Energy Crisis

What measures has the Matanzas Electric Company implemented to address the power outages?

The Matanzas Electric Company has introduced measures such as integrating solar parks and implementing technical protections to reduce peak demand. They have also started frequency derivative protection in eight circuits to prevent widespread blackouts.

Why are there still significant power outages in Matanzas despite new measures?

Despite new measures, the power system remains overloaded and unstable, causing fluctuations in power availability. Additionally, issues like private businesses overloading non-outage circuits and damaged infrastructure contribute to ongoing disruptions.

How is the public in Matanzas reacting to extended power outages?

The public has voiced significant frustration, with over 200 complaints in the provincial capital alone. Extended outages of up to 32 hours have led to protests and heightened dissatisfaction among residents.

© CubaHeadlines 2025