The Cuban Electric Union (UNE) has recently attributed the ongoing nationwide power outages to the fact that many thermal power plants have operated for over 40 years without undergoing essential maintenance cycles. According to Alfredo López Valdés, the general director of the UNE, the extreme age of these units has greatly complicated technical interventions, causing delays and unforeseen failures.
"Predicting the exact repair time is challenging because once we start dismantling, unforeseen problems arise," López Valdés stated during an appearance on the state-run Channel Caribe. The director highlighted issues with Santa Cruz 2 and Céspedes 4 units, which failed to synchronize with the electrical grid during the summer due to the technical complexities involved in repairs. Hidden defects were also found in components manufactured in 2019 and 2020, despite having been certified at the time.
"We are not conducting the necessary comprehensive maintenance. We haven't had the financial means to address all the issues," López Valdés admitted. Meanwhile, Lázaro Guerra Hernández, the general director of Electricity at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, emphasized progress in a major solar investment program, which includes 51 photovoltaic parks and four battery energy storage systems, with a projected investment of one billion dollars by 2025.
Enduring Energy Crisis: No Resolution in Sight
The UNE's justifications come amidst an unprecedented energy crisis, which the government itself has described as "severe," following a massive blackout that recently affected the entire eastern region of the country. Authorities have also confirmed that the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the most powerful in the nation, will soon need to shut down for maintenance.
The collapse of Cuba's electrical system is not a new phenomenon. In recent months, thermal generation failures, unmet liquefied gas deliveries, and the shutdown of several floating power plants have been accumulating. During this time, Cubans have endured power outages lasting up to 40 hours, fueling growing social frustration.
"This is Not Living": A Population at its Breaking Point
The publication of official statements has sparked widespread public outrage. Comments such as "This has become psychological torture," "It's no longer living, it's surviving," and "They might as well kill us now because they’re killing us alive" reflect the prevailing sense of hopelessness. Even figures close to the government, like journalist Yirmara Torres Hernández, have publicly denounced the situation.
"How can you live with 28 hours of blackout for 2 hours of electricity? [...] You can't live," she wrote on her Facebook profile. The dissatisfaction grows amid perceptions of deep inequality. Many citizens complain that while they struggle without electricity or food, government officials enjoy power generators, gasoline, and other amenities.
Resources Exist, But Not for the People
Dissatisfaction has intensified following reports that the military conglomerate GAESA manages over 18 billion dollars in liquid assets, a stark contrast to the UNE's claimed lack of resources for essential maintenance of power plants. Journalistic investigations reveal that the regime continues to prioritize investments in luxury hotels and tourism — with minimal occupancy rates — while the populace faces food shortages, endless power outages, and a collapsed healthcare system.
"They won't use GAESA's millions to fix the power plants because they prefer to keep stealing and building hotels," lamented one social media user. Another added, "They have generators, gasoline, food. And the people must endure."
For many Cubans, the root of the problem is not just technical but political and structural. The institutionalization of inequality to benefit a military elite has normalized extreme poverty as part of the government model. "Stop saying the people endure; the people survive. And in these conditions, that's a sentence," wrote another internet user. In Cuba in 2025, the darkness is not only from the blackouts but from a system offering no escape or hope.
Understanding the Cuban Energy Crisis
What is causing the prolonged power outages in Cuba?
The Cuban Electric Union (UNE) attributes the extended outages to aging thermal power plants that have not undergone essential maintenance cycles for over 40 years.
How is the public reacting to the electricity crisis in Cuba?
The Cuban public has expressed widespread outrage and hopelessness, with many feeling that they are merely surviving rather than living due to the severe power outages and perceived inequality in resource distribution.
What efforts are being made to address the energy crisis in Cuba?
The government has announced a significant solar investment program, including 51 photovoltaic parks and energy storage systems, with a planned investment of one billion dollars by 2025.