Once again, the electrical microgrid in Granma province has failed, as reported on Thursday by the local electric company that relies on distributed generation. This update was briefly mentioned by the official newspaper La Demajagua, which did not specify the reasons behind the latest outage, following a widespread blackout that hit the country since Wednesday morning.
"The Electric Company of Granma reports the disconnection of the microgrid operating with distributed generation. Efforts to restore service were immediately launched, aiming for a gradual synchronization," the company stated on its official Telegram channel.
Later, the Ministry of Energy and Mines shared on X that following a second disconnection, Granma province has been reconnected alongside Artemisa. This marks the second malfunction of Granma's hybrid electrical microgrid after the collapse of the National Electric System (SEN) on Wednesday morning, which was triggered once more by an unexpected shutdown of the Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant in Matanzas.
The first incident occurred at 4:58 PM on Wednesday due to an unforeseen shutdown of the La Sabana Park caused by cloud cover, as reported by official journalist Jorge Luis Ríos Frías. This disconnection plunged thousands of families in the eastern province back into darkness, who had partially regained power following initial SEN synchronization efforts in the morning, as Cubadebate noted.
Just two hours earlier, local radio had celebrated a milestone: "For the first time in Cuba, electrical generation has been established through a 'hybrid microgrid,' which involves synchronizing Photovoltaic Solar Parks (PSP) with distributed generation." However, the anchoring was unsuccessful, and the photovoltaic park's synchronization was short-lived. Authorities confirmed that restoration efforts have begun "gradually," although no clear timelines were provided.
Cuba faced a dire situation this Thursday, as the national blackout extended into a second consecutive day. Thousands were left without electricity, forced to endure darkness, food spoilage, hospital strain, and near-total digital disconnection.
At 7:36 AM, the Electric Union (UNE) announced that the SEN was beginning to partially reconnect, yet entire provinces such as Pinar del Río, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo remained in complete darkness.
Soon after, Santiago de Cuba province regained its connection after over 24 hours without service, according to a brief update from the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) on their official X account. "Santiago de Cuba is now connected to the Electric System," the agency noted.
Understanding Granma's Electrical Challenges
What caused the collapse of the electrical microgrid in Granma?
The collapse was primarily due to an unexpected shutdown of the Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant in Matanzas and cloud cover affecting the La Sabana Park.
How are restoration efforts being handled in Granma?
Efforts to restore service are underway gradually, though authorities have not provided clear timelines for full restoration.
Which provinces were affected by the national blackout?
The provinces of Granma, Pinar del Río, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo were among those left completely in the dark.