On Wednesday, Vicente de la O Levy, the Minister of Energy and Mines, acknowledged that power outages in Havana are exceeding 20 to 22 hours daily. He provided a technical rationale to explain why the capital is treated differently when it comes to the distribution of electricity cuts.
During a press briefing focused on the country's energy crisis, De la O Levy candidly described the situation in Havana: "In Havana, the power outages today exceed 20, 22 hours. And when the power returns, it's for 2 hours, an hour and a half, 2 hours, 3 hours in some circuits, 4 hours, and then we're back to 20, 22 hours. That's the state of the capital."
The minister's main argument centers around the so-called DAF circuits, which stands for Automatic Frequency Discharge. These circuits cannot be turned off because they automatically open and close to regulate the electrical system's frequency and prevent a widespread collapse.
"If that circuit is already off, it can't perform its function of regulating and protecting the national system," De la O Levy explained.
The reason these circuits are concentrated in Havana, according to the minister, is purely technical: the capital is the province with the highest electrical demand in the country.
"The circuits with the highest consumption are the ones that best regulate frequency because when they open, they offload a significant amount of power, allowing for greater regulation," he detailed.
If the DAF circuits were placed in provinces with lower consumption, the regulatory effect would be insufficient and "would not fulfill the intended purpose," he asserted.
Additionally, Havana also has the highest concentration of protected circuits and the greatest density of hospitals in the country, factors that, according to the minister, "make the system's maneuverability more challenging" in the capital.
Regarding the DAF discharges, De la O Levy reported that in recent days they have decreased compared to previous ones, thanks to the regulation of solar photovoltaic parks: "When the parks weren't regulated, there were many more DAF discharges."
The minister also acknowledged that the planning of power outages begins at midnight at the National Load Dispatch so that by seven in the morning, the population knows the day's forecast. However, he warned that unforeseen events can disrupt everything.
He cited a recent failure at the Santa Cruz thermoelectric plant as an example: "The boiler is fine, the automatic system is fine, the generator is fine, everything is fine, but there's a failure in the external water supply to the unit."
Such breakdowns—along with sargassum entering Energás or unexpected boiler failures—occur "every day, multiple times a day," leading to the disruptions that frustrate the population.
The underlying cause of the crisis is the shortage of fuel. From December 2025 until weeks before the conference, Cuba did not receive a single shipment of fuel, which the minister himself called "the primary cause of the extended outage hours."
The only relief came from a donation by Russia: approximately 100,000 tons of crude oil processed at the Cienfuegos refinery and distributed from mid-April, even leading to several days without power outages in Havana.
However, that fuel was depleted by early May, just as temperatures rose heading into summer, leaving the system "without any reserves."
The day before the conference, power outages affected 61% of Cuba during peak demand hours, with a record 2,113 MW outage observed at 8:40 PM.
Back in December 2025, De la O Levy had warned that 2026 would be a "difficult" year and that "power outages would not be eliminated," a prediction that reality has far exceeded.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What are DAF circuits?
DAF circuits, or Automatic Frequency Discharge circuits, are essential for regulating the frequency of the electrical system to prevent widespread outages. They operate automatically and are concentrated in high-demand areas like Havana.
Why does Havana experience longer power outages?
Havana's unique situation is due to its high electrical demand and the concentration of critical infrastructure, such as hospitals. The presence of DAF circuits, which are crucial for system regulation, also contributes to the extended outages.
What is the main cause of the energy crisis in Cuba?
The energy crisis in Cuba is primarily due to a shortage of fuel. Since December 2025, there has been a significant lack of fuel shipments, severely impacting the country's ability to maintain a stable electricity supply.