A resident of Sancti Spíritus, Ayaini Valdés, took to Facebook to express her frustration and exhaustion after her community, involving about 70 families in circuit 116, endured seven consecutive days without electricity. This was due to a transformer that exploded twice, and the Electric Company couldn't replace it because, as they reported, there were simply no spare parts available.
"Completely drenched in sweat, I'm in a terrible mood," began Valdés as she outlined the dire circumstances.
The transformer initially malfunctioned on Tuesday, June 16, at 4 PM. Technicians from the Electric Company arrived on Saturday, June 20, to fix it, but the solution was short-lived. By 10 AM on Sunday, Father's Day, the equipment failed again when the service was reconnected, leading to another explosion.
The Electric Company's response, according to Valdés, was that no replacement transformer was available and connecting the circuit to another network would require a "million-dollar investment." Meanwhile, the community remained in darkness.
On Monday, June 22, Valdés lamented, "It's no longer 40 hours of blackout for two hours of electricity; it's been seven days now."
In her video description, she criticized officials who "fan themselves" while dozens of households—with children, elderly, and sick individuals—were left without power.
"How long will this mistreatment and injustice continue? Seven days without electricity, where there are children, where there are elderly, where there are people who need electricity," she demanded.
Widespread Electrical Issues in Sancti Spíritus and Beyond
The situation in circuit 116 is not unique in the province. The Electric Company of Sancti Spíritus is contending with 26 circuits affected simultaneously, with only 71 out of more than 200 circuits operational, and a generation deficit of 83 MW.
The National Electric Union admitted on June 7 that there is no physical availability of transformer parts across the country. Cuba only has three specialized repair workshops—in Havana, Villa Clara, and Manzanillo—all of which are overwhelmed.
In Holguín, 25 transformers were reported damaged, with only six replacements received; in Guantánamo, eight transformers are out of service with no replacements in sight. This highlights the structural collapse of Cuba's electrical infrastructure, which the government had already predicted in December 2025, warning that 2026 would see persistent blackouts.
Last May, Cuba recorded its highest-ever electrical deficit: 2,174 MW, leaving 70% of the island simultaneously without power. On March 16, the most prolonged nationwide blackout in recent history occurred, lasting 29 hours and 29 minutes.
More than 9 million people are facing severe difficulties in cooking, and 200,000 residents in Havana are without regular access to potable water as a direct result of these outages.
Understanding Cuba's Ongoing Electrical Crisis
Why are there frequent power outages in Cuba?
Cuba's electrical infrastructure is severely outdated and lacks the necessary parts for repairs. The country also faces a significant generation deficit, which contributes to frequent power outages.
How does the electrical crisis affect daily life in Cuba?
The crisis leads to difficulties in cooking, as many rely on electric stoves, and disrupts access to potable water, affecting millions of residents' daily lives.
What measures are being taken to address the transformer shortage?
The Cuban government acknowledges the shortage but has limited capacity to address it, with only three repair workshops available, all of which are overwhelmed.