On Thursday, Havana's Electric Company disclosed on their official Facebook page that a pair of lizards caused a fuse to blow on 150th Street between 19th and 21st in Playa municipality, cutting off electricity to the area.
In a rare display of irony for a Cuban state-owned company, the entity remarked, "Hurricane winds, storms, lightning, cyclones, among other natural events can be adverse for electrical lines, yet it's astonishing how a couple of defenseless lizards can also achieve the same result."
The post mentioned that the "guard duo from the UEB Playa" were responsible for replacing the fuse blown by the reptiles. The company concluded with a note saying, "Nature has an uncanny ability to always do its thing."
Cuban netizens quickly reacted to the announcement, blending disbelief with dark humor in their comments.
Ángel Luis Jaen Sol directly questioned, "Is this a meme?"
Daniel Oliva Sánchez skeptically added, "Tell me this post isn't real."
Meanwhile, Karla Casares Ortega expressed, "I can't handle this; you're a meme between yourselves and Cubadebate, you make my day."
Some users took the opportunity to report their own power outages. Natty Flute pointed out, "In 130 and 27, Zamora, Marianao, we're without power since 8 am."
This isn't the first time an incident like this has occurred in Cuba. On February 18, 2026, a frog caused a blackout at the 110 kV Substation 2 in Sancti Spíritus by contacting the transformer's insulator and generating an electric arc that disconnected several circuits.
The Playa municipality, where the lizard incident occurred, experienced the most power outages in Havana during the period of April 10, 2026, with 192 blackout reports.
This Thursday, the Electrical Union reported a peak time availability of 1,973 MW against a demand of 3,100 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,127 MW.
Havana has enjoyed four consecutive days without blackouts due to a generation deficit, a relief attributed to political prioritization. Meanwhile, provinces like Holguín, Granma, and Santiago de Cuba continue to endure power cuts lasting up to 24 hours daily.
Cuba requires eight fuel tankers monthly to sustain its power generation, yet only one has arrived since December 2025 until this month. This situation was publicly acknowledged by Díaz-Canel, who admitted to four months without fuel.
Understanding Power Outages in Cuba
What caused the recent power outage in Playa municipality?
A pair of lizards caused a fuse to blow, resulting in an electrical outage in the Playa municipality of Havana.
How often do wildlife-related electrical outages occur in Cuba?
While not frequent, wildlife incidents have caused outages in the past, such as a frog causing a blackout in Sancti Spíritus in 2026.
What is the current power situation in Cuba?
Cuba is experiencing a power generation deficit, with Havana recently having four days without outages due to political prioritization, while other provinces face severe cuts.
What are the fuel requirements for Cuba's power generation?
Cuba needs eight fuel tankers monthly for power generation but has only received one since December 2025, leading to significant shortages.