Cuban journalist Yuliet Pérez Calaña, known as "La Yuli de Cuba," shared an amusing story on social media about her experience during a power outage.
On a recent Friday evening, around 8:00 p.m., Yuliet had set water to heat for a shower. However, the sudden power cut left her without a charged phone, forcing her to bathe in complete darkness, with her home resembling a pitch-black cave.
According to her account, she asked her partner, Rolo, to pour the hot water into a bucket for her to use. She finished her shower feeling "clean and fragrant," attributing an unusual skin sensation to a new lavender gel she had recently started using.
Living in Isla de la Juventud, Yuliet waited on her porch for the electricity to return. Once the power was restored, she headed to the kitchen to tidy up and found that the pot of water she had set to heat was still there.
Worried, she questioned Rolo about the water he had brought for her shower. He replied that it was from "the pot next to it." Her mother then chimed in, revealing that the pot contained water used to boil plantains for their meal.
Yuliet humorously concluded the incident, joking that if showering with okra water makes everything slip away, then bathing with plantain water must "surely block everything up," ending with a tongue-in-cheek remark about starting 2026 all closed up.
Power Outage Woes
The National Electric System (SEN) reported a maximum impact of 1,917 MW on Friday, with a similar scenario projected for Saturday, expecting a deficit of up to 1,915 MW during peak hours.
Throughout the previous day, service was continuously affected, with the peak impact due to generation capacity shortage reaching 1,917 MW at 6:30 p.m.
Despite the addition of 33 new solar photovoltaic parks generating 2,452 MWh and reaching a maximum capacity of 515 MW by noon, this contribution failed to offset the loss of multiple thermal units and fuel shortages.
By 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, SEN's availability stood at 1,565 MW against a demand of 2,324 MW, resulting in an immediate deficiency of 796 MW.
Significant issues included malfunctions in units 5 and 8 of the Máximo Gómez thermal power plant (Mariel) and unit 2 of the Felton plant (Mayarí), along with scheduled maintenance for units 2 and 3 of the Santa Cruz del Norte plant and unit 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes plant in Cienfuegos.
Furthermore, constraints in thermal generation have left 548 MW out of service.
By mid-morning, an estimated impact of around 900 MW was anticipated.
Understanding Cuba's Power Challenges
What caused the power outages in Cuba?
The outages were primarily due to malfunctions and maintenance in several thermal power units, as well as fuel shortages affecting the country's energy supply.
How is Cuba addressing its energy deficit?
Cuba is attempting to bridge the energy gap by incorporating solar photovoltaic parks, although this has not fully compensated for the outages caused by thermal plant issues.