The official account on X of the Antonio Guiteras Contingent (@CteGuiteras), linked to Cuba's largest thermoelectric plant, shared an emotional message on Tuesday urging the population to be patient amidst the suffocating summer blackouts.
"With our hearts in our hands. We understand the delays in power. We feel the relentless heat. But there's a truth you need to know: behind every blackout, there's an electrical worker who hasn't slept, who hasn't hugged their loved ones. The energy situation is tough. It hurts," the message stated, accompanied by the hashtag #ElectricWorkers.
In a follow-up response, the account added, "But here, in each thermoelectric plant, there's an army that refuses to give up. Day after day, they put on their overalls and stand firm. It's not resignation. It's resilience. It's love for Cuba. We ask the people for understanding, but above all, trust. We won't let you down."
A third message portrayed the reality faced by the operators: "While the people hear the disconnecting and reconnecting of some thermal units of the SEN, the reality for Cuban thermoelectric workers is completely different. Their shifts stretch to exhaustion, and they endure sleepless nights."
Current State of Cuba's Power Crisis
The plea for understanding comes at one of the most challenging times for Cuba's electrical grid. According to the Electric Union's report released on Tuesday, there was a 24-hour service disruption on Monday, peaking at a 2,128 MW shortfall at 9:40 p.m.
The state agency forecasted a 2,150 MW deficit for Tuesday, with only 1,080 MW available during peak hours compared to an anticipated demand of 3,200 MW, leaving millions of Cubans to face the day without electricity.
Several thermal units remain out of service, including units five and six of the Máximo Gómez Thermoelectric in Mariel, unit two of the Ernesto Guevara De La Serna Thermoelectric in Santa Cruz, and unit three of the Antonio Maceo Thermoelectric in Renté. Additionally, 106 distributed generation stations are offline due to fuel shortages.
Challenges Facing the Guiteras Plant
The Antonio Guiteras plant itself, which gives the contingent its name, has experienced at least 17 unscheduled outages so far in 2026 and hasn't undergone major maintenance since 2010. On July 18, the plant managed to stay connected to the system for just 26 minutes before failing again due to a boiler leak.
The plant's director admitted in June that they lack the necessary parts for a significant repair, which would require replacing about 500 tubes and executing between 1,000 and 1,200 welding joints, necessitating a shutdown of at least 180 days.
Official Promises and Public Skepticism
The Guiteras Contingent's message follows a pattern of other official statements attempting to humanize the crisis without offering tangible solutions. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy declared on July 11, "nobody gives up here" after the year's fourth total blackout, and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero promised on July 15 to restore the system "as quickly as possible" following the fifth collapse. These promises have been met with skepticism and irony by the public on social media.
The historic record deficit of the system was recorded on July 10 with 2,341 MW, and blackouts average between 20 and 24 hours daily in Havana, while in Matanzas, they have reached up to 87 consecutive hours without electricity.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What is causing the frequent blackouts in Cuba?
Cuba's frequent blackouts are primarily due to aging infrastructure, lack of maintenance, fuel shortages, and a high demand that outstrips available power generation capacity.
How are the Cuban authorities addressing the power crisis?
Cuban authorities have issued statements urging patience and resilience, but concrete solutions to repair and upgrade the power infrastructure have not been clearly outlined, leading to public skepticism.