On Saturday, the Electric Union (UNE) announced a new obstacle in the effort to restore the National Electric System (SEN): a voltage collapse in the western microsystem occurred overnight, just hours after Cuba experienced its fourth nationwide blackout of the year.
The Friday collapse was triggered by a failure in the 220 kV line between Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus, which resulted in the SEN being split at 3:55 pm, causing multiple thermal units to shut down and leading to a complete disconnection just 35 minutes later, at 4:30 pm.
According to the official UNE release, the initial plan was to create microsystems in each province to ensure essential services while working towards a gradual restoration.
The state-run company emphasized that the current focus is on reactivating the generation units at Energás Boca de Jaruco to initiate the sequential startup of the Máximo Gómez, Ernesto Guevara, Antonio Guiteras, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, and Diez de Octubre thermoelectric plants.
Only after the connection to the eastern part of the country is reestablished will the CTE Lidio Ramón Pérez Felton and Antonio Maceo plants be reconnected.
The statement from UNE ends with a familiar refrain often used by the regime during crises: "Electrical workers have worked intensely through the night and early morning to restore service as quickly as possible." Nevertheless, it fails to address the catastrophic state of the system that makes each new collapse inevitable.
At the time of Friday's blackout, SEN's availability stood at a mere 935 MW against a demand of 3,100 MW, with a projected shortfall exceeding 2,100 MW.
Moreover, 106 distributed generation plants remained offline due to fuel shortages, representing an additional 890 MW out of service.
The government's response once again consisted of rhetoric without substantive action. Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy posted on X that "worthy and committed electrical and oil workers in Cuba battle the blackout every day," adding, "no one gives up here," but did not announce any structural measures.
Days earlier, leader Miguel Díaz-Canel merely urged "better organization" of the blackouts without committing to any investment to boost generation.
The context deepens the severity of the situation: the blackout happened on the eve of July 11, marking the fifth anniversary of the massive 2021 protests.
Cuba has gone over three months without regular oil shipments, thermoelectric plants have aged 40 to 60 years without comprehensive maintenance, and on July 8, the nation faced its largest energy shortfall in history: 2,341 MW, affecting 73% of the population simultaneously.
This marks Cuba's fourth total blackout of 2026 and the eighth in about 24 months, an unprecedented acceleration that the regime has neither been able to nor seems willing to reverse with concrete measures.
Modernizing Cuba's electric system is estimated to require between $8 billion and $10 billion, a sum the dictatorship neither has nor is likely to secure.
Understanding the Cuban Energy Crisis
What caused the recent collapse in Cuba's western microsystem?
The collapse was caused by a failure in the 220 kV line between Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus, leading to a split in the National Electric System and the shutdown of multiple thermal units.
How is the Cuban government addressing the energy crisis?
The government's response has been largely rhetorical, with no significant structural measures announced. Calls for better organization of blackouts and support from workers have been the primary focus.
What are the financial challenges in modernizing Cuba's electric system?
Modernizing the system is estimated to cost between $8 billion and $10 billion, funds that the Cuban government does not currently possess or have prospects of obtaining.