Holguín Endures Lengthy Blackouts as Power Company Urges Gradual Appliance Use Upon Restoration

On Saturday, the Electric Company in Holguín urged residents to gradually reconnect their appliances after power is restored, aiming to prevent transformer overloads which may lead to significant damage.

According to a post on the company's Facebook page, the concurrent connection of devices following extended outages results in consumption spikes of 180% to 200%. These spikes can cause transformers to overheat and damage their internal insulation.

The company highlighted a shortage of transformers and maintenance resources, warning that repair delays could last several days. Indicators of potential issues include oil leaks in the early hours after power restoration and the tripping of protective fuses.

Power Struggles Highlight Systemic Issues

Despite the warning, the reality faced by Holguín residents is starkly different. Residential circuits receive about three hours of electricity for every 39 to 40 hours of blackout, a situation that Ruber Reynaldo González, the company's general director, has publicly acknowledged.

"We can't ask people to refrain from using all their devices after being 40 hours in the dark," González admitted. He also noted that these long outages are causing a chain reaction of overloads and failures, exacerbating the province's energy crisis.

Every time a circuit is reconnected, between 10 and 20 transformers fail, while the replacement capacity remains minimal.

Public Backlash and Frustration

The company's plea was met with widespread criticism and sarcasm in the comments. "Staggered use is impossible. Three hours of electricity is insufficient, especially after two days without power. Moreover, oil leaks in transformers aren't promptly checked to prevent failures," a resident commented.

Another person humorously captured the contradiction: "It's like telling a shipwrecked person not to cling to the first log they find."

Some comments shifted the blame entirely onto the company. "If you don't want overloads and transformer explosions, don't impose such prolonged blackouts," one Holguín resident remarked.

Another resident described the impracticality of the suggestion: "22 hours without power, then two hours with it: when it comes, I start the electric stove for beans, after 20 minutes, the kids' fan, and at 40 minutes, the washing machine... dreaming more about planes than Silvio Rodríguez."

Energy Deficiency and Economic Impact

Holguín, with 383,180 electric customers, operates with only 70 MW against a peak demand of 240 MW, covering less than 30% of needs. Out of these 70 MW, 26 are allocated to essential services and about 20 MW to the nickel industry, leaving a mere 14 MW for a residential demand of 190 MW.

This Sunday, the National Electroenergy System had a deficit of 2,120 MW during peak hours, with just 980 MW available against a demand of 2,650 MW, as reported by the Electric Union.

A local resident summed up the situation bluntly: "We're not just living poorly; we're dying miserably, and that's the harsh truth."

In late May, frustration boiled over on social media as residents demanded the Electric Company stop restoring power for short durations after enduring over 24-hour blackouts.

"After 24 hours without electricity, we don't need it for just five minutes before it’s cut again, repeating this cycle multiple times. Our already strained economy bears the cost when our equipment fails," a viral post emphasized.