A team of workers from Holguín recently arrived to install two new electrical transformers at the intersection of San Antonio and Tropical streets in the Puentes Grandes neighborhood of Havana. This action came in response to a resident's Facebook post highlighting the negligence of the Cuban Electrical Union (UNE) regarding a broken transformer.
The crew completed the installation within three days, despite prior warnings from the UNE that the affected residents might have to wait 30 to 40 days for a solution.
Social Media as a Catalyst for Change
The situation was brought to light by troubadour Ariel Díaz, who took to Facebook, expressing his frustration with a blend of irony and anger. "I can't imagine what we'll do for 30 or 40 days without electricity. Where do we charge our devices? What do we eat?" he questioned in a previous post. He also criticized those who labeled him a traitor for speaking out, sarcastically inviting them to experience the power outage firsthand at his home to teach him about "ideological resistance."
Photos shared on Facebook depicted the poor condition of the Havana street where the old, rusted transformer with deteriorated ceramic insulators had been replaced.
Efforts to Improve Electrical Reliability
In addition to the new transformers, the workers replaced the entire circuit's wiring, which had been patched numerous times. A photograph also showed the new equipment securely fastened on a flatbed truck.
Rumors circulated in the neighborhood suggesting the transformer might have been intentionally damaged to extort money, prompting the UNE to deploy a crew from Holguín instead of local workers. Díaz mentioned these as "just rumors," but they illustrate the deep-seated distrust residents have towards the authorities.
Ongoing Struggles with Infrastructure
Díaz's initial report indicates the outage began the previous Saturday when the circuit failed again at the same location. The neighborhood had power restored at 2:00 am, but by 5:48 pm, the usual homes were still without service, and no one had shown up for repairs.
"This time I didn't call, report, or ask. If anyone cared, they had 16 hours to just come and attach a little wire," he remarked.
The situation in Puentes Grandes reflects a broader crisis affecting Havana, where, by late July, the capital was experiencing an average of 25 damaged single-phase transformers per day, with some days seeing over 60 malfunctions.
Public Pressure as a Force of Accountability
In June, the UNE admitted to a lack of available replacement transformers and noted that only three workshops in the country are equipped to repair them. The pattern of social media complaints followed by institutional response has been repeated across several neighborhoods.
In July, the UNE installed two transformers in Guantánamo after a viral post highlighted 21 days without electricity. Similarly, in August, residents of Guanabacoa stood guard to prevent workers from removing a transformer without guaranteeing its replacement.
Public outcry on social media has effectively become the only pressure mechanism that compels the regime to take action.
Understanding the Transformer Crisis in Havana
What prompted the replacement of transformers in Puentes Grandes?
The transformer replacement was prompted by a resident's social media post criticizing the UNE's inaction regarding a broken transformer, which led to a swift response from a team of workers from Holguín.
How long was the repair expected to take initially?
Initially, the UNE warned residents that the repair could take between 30 and 40 days, but the actual installation was completed in just three days.
What are some of the broader issues with electrical infrastructure in Havana?
Havana faces a widespread crisis with damaged transformers, averaging 25 broken units daily by late July, with limited resources and workshops available for repairs.