Breakdown at Hanabanilla Hydroelectric Plant in Villa Clara Exacerbates Cuba's Power Crisis

A recent malfunction has further aggravated Cuba's already dire power situation, leaving thousands in Villa Clara facing uncertainty and darkness after the recent collapse of the National Electroenergetic System (SEN).

The issue arose in a section of the 110 KV line in La Lima, Manicaragua, leading to the halt of the "Robustiano León" hydroelectric plant at Hanabanilla. This plant is vital for stabilizing the central region's power system. The disruption weakened the fragile microsystem that was barely recovering from the massive blackout experienced last Saturday afternoon.

Yadier Ruiz, director of the Load Dispatch in the province, initially admitted, "We are unaware of the problem's magnitude," as crews were dispatched to the site to address the situation.

Hours later, officials confirmed the severity of the issue: a metal structure collapsed following the fall of the supporting poles. Although they claimed to have the resources for repairs, the recovery won't be immediate.

Meanwhile, the reality for residents grows harsher. By late Sunday morning, only 58 out of more than 200 circuits in Villa Clara had power. Later, the situation worsened: merely 49 circuits were active, despite a slight increase in available generation.

Widespread Power Cuts Affect Daily Life

The instability is so severe that even areas where power had been restored fell back into darkness. "For now, we cannot rotate circuits," warned Ruiz, indicating no guarantees for those who had their service restored.

Entire municipalities, such as Ranchuelo and Santo Domingo, have remained entirely without power since the SEN collapse, with no restoration in sight.

Impact Beyond Villa Clara

The situation extends beyond this province. According to the Cienfuegos Electric Company, the breakdown affected the entire central subsystem, leading to disconnections of previously functioning circuits. Areas that had regained electricity were plunged back into darkness.

As of 8:20 a.m., the Santa Clara-Cienfuegos-Matanzas subsystem was operating with generation from Hanabanilla, the Céspedes thermoelectric plant, and Energás Boca de Jaruco. However, the incident destabilized this delicate balance, forcing a setback in the restoration process.

In this scenario, the Hanabanilla hydroelectric plant is crucial as it regulates the system's frequency and prevents new collapses. Its outage complicates the already slow and delicate reconnection strategy, which aims to restore service in stages across the country.

Challenges in Overcoming the Energy Crisis

This new setback arises amid one of Cuba's worst energy crises in decades. On Saturday, the island experienced its second nationwide blackout in less than a week, following a total SEN disconnection that left much of the country without electricity.

Authorities have cautioned that recovery will be slow. In many provinces, especially in the east, only small "electric islands" designated for basic services such as hospitals or water supply are operational.

The hope for improvement now rests on the startup of several thermoelectric plants, including the Antonio Guiteras in Matanzas and unit 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in Cienfuegos. However, for thousands of Cubans who have been without electricity for days, technical promises starkly contrast with a reality marked by prolonged blackouts, heat, food at risk, and an increasingly unsustainable daily routine.