In the bustling neighborhood of Vedado, Havana, twelve families residing in the building at the intersection of 15th and 20th have been struggling without electricity for more than 100 hours. The issue stems from a simple problem: the need for just 25 meters of three-phase cable, which the Havana Electric Company has yet to supply.
Citizen Yaneisis Batista González brought this issue to light in a Facebook post on the “Havana Electric Company” group, identifying it with the official report number #27957. She explained that the power outage began on Monday at 7:00 a.m.
Despite technicians diagnosing the problem, it remains unresolved. "The issue is clear: a pending connection requires only 25 meters of cable. It's unacceptable that the Electric Company leaves 12 apartments in the dark over such a short length of cable," Batista González stated.
She further noted that the situation is particularly dire for families with children, the elderly, and the ill, who have been without electricity for five days. The power outage has also disrupted water supply, as pumping it to the building has become impossible.
"We've been without power since last Monday at 7:00 a.m., over 100 hours of interruption," she wrote in her public complaint, demanding immediate action from the Havana Electric Company and the municipal government of Plaza de la Revolución.
The post sparked numerous reactions and angry comments on social media, with users questioning the lack of materials needed to fix an issue that requires just a short piece of cable.
One user pointed out the irony of the situation by comparing it to other areas of the capital where resources are readily available for official events. "It's frustrating that there was cable and electricity for the event at 23rd and 12th," they noted.
This incident occurs amidst a severe energy crisis in Cuba. Authorities have admitted that the country is almost entirely without fuel, complicating responses to local outages like the one affecting these Vedado residents, who have been unable to refrigerate food or maintain basic living conditions for days.
Power outages have reached critical levels across the island, with today’s forecast predicting a deficit of 1,848 MW during peak hours, underscoring the structural collapse of a system that has experienced seven total disconnections in the past 18 months.
The energy crisis also directly affects access to potable water: over 200,000 Havana residents remain without water services due to prolonged outages that incapacitate supply pumps.
Against this backdrop, Cuban comedian and actor Ulises Toirac recently criticized the official event marking the 65th anniversary of the socialist proclamation of the Cuban revolution, calling it a "waste of resources at 23rd and 12th," while millions of Cubans suffer power outages nationwide.
Power Outage Impact in Vedado and Beyond
What is causing the power outage in Vedado?
The power outage in Vedado is due to a lack of 25 meters of three-phase cable, which is necessary to resolve the diagnosed issue with the electrical connection.
How are the residents of Vedado affected by the outage?
Residents, including families with children, the elderly, and the sick, have been without electricity for over 100 hours, impacting their ability to refrigerate food and access water due to non-functional pumps.
How does the energy crisis affect water supply in Havana?
The energy crisis has led to prolonged power outages that disable water supply pumps, leaving over 200,000 residents in Havana without access to potable water.