Power Outages Lasting 40 Hours in Playa: Residents Criticize Unfair Electricity Distribution in Havana

A resident from Playa, a district in Havana, publicly voiced her frustration on the Havana Electric Company’s Facebook group, revealing that her neighborhood suffered a 40-hour continuous blackout while the block directly across from her home enjoyed uninterrupted power.

"We've been without electricity for 40 hours in block 2 of Playa. I look across the street, and block 3 has had electricity all along, barely experiencing 16 hours without this essential service," she wrote. "I question whether there is any power generation at all. Food spoiled due to the lack of refrigeration, sleep disrupted—basic human needs unmet. Access to water is impossible," stated the post, which garnered nearly 2,000 reactions.

Residents Express Growing Frustration

The woman highlighted that the power outages lasting 30 to 40 hours in her area began precisely the previous Friday, pointing fingers at the Unión Eléctrica (UNE). "It's evident that the Electric Union is either incapable of equitably distributing the limited power supply or, worse, there's a deliberate reason these outages started on Friday. UNE, your incompetence raises many questions," she remarked.

Subsequent comments on the post reported an extension of the outage to 42 hours in that circuit.

Widespread Outages Across Havana

The complaint sparked a flood of responses from residents across Havana, all reporting similar or worse outages: 24 hours without power in Playa Querejeta, 26 hours in Los Pinos (Arroyo Naranjo), up to 30 hours daily in El Pilar and Ataré (Cerro), and extended outages in areas like Guanabo, Casino Deportivo, and the region around 23 and 16.

"I'm not sure which part of block 3 is being referred to because, in Los Pinos, Arroyo Naranjo, we've been without electricity for 26 hours. We've gone over 15 days without a night's sleep. Some circuits never lose power, always having electricity. Greetings from the darkness," one commenter shared.

Accusations of Inequality in Power Distribution

Many residents claimed that the unequal power distribution is not accidental. "It's well-known that the Havana Electric Company profits from the people's needs and misfortunes. Certain circuits are protected because they pay to avoid blackouts, leaving other areas to bear the brunt," another commenter alleged.

Others urged not to blame better-served neighbors for the situation. "The block across the street isn't responsible for your misfortune. The same incompetent leaders who have this country in ruins are," a user warned.

Another added, "I want electricity for everyone. I hope the day comes when we stop being our own enemies. Don't fall into their trap. Envy and infighting are very useful to them."

The collective exhaustion was encapsulated in a widely shared comment: "Please, if I die during this ordeal, don't say 'rest in peace,' say 'eternal light.'

System Under Strain

These events unfold amidst the most severe crisis in Cuba's electrical system in decades.

This month, UNE reported a generation shortfall exceeding 2,000 MW during peak nighttime hours, with availability of just 950 to 1,015 MW against a demand ranging between 2,570 and 3,050 MW. More than 106 distributed generation units remain offline due to fuel shortages.

In Havana, blackouts last between 20 and 24 hours daily, while in Matanzas, outages have reached 72 to 85 consecutive hours.

Playa has experienced issues since January: in May, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero ordered a "better distribution" of blackouts in the capital, implicitly acknowledging the unequal distribution that residents are now documenting hour by hour.

"Electricity is a basic right and a service that we pay for which should be consistently available. Anything else is just talk," concluded one commentator.