The Fe del Valle Ramos Maternity Hospital in Manzanillo, Granma, released an official statement on Facebook acknowledging it experienced a power outage due to the eighth total collapse of the National Electric System (SEN) this year, which occurred on September 18.
The hospital initially maintained operations thanks to an activated microgrid designed to ensure the continuity of essential services. However, at 10:30 a.m., a failure in this microgrid coincided with a malfunction in the institution’s generator, leaving the hospital without backup power for what the management described as a brief period.
"At 10:30 a.m., a failure occurred in the microgrid, coinciding with a malfunction in the institution's generator. This situation was resolved in a short time, restoring the necessary conditions for the hospital's normal operation," the statement noted.
The hospital assured that throughout the incident, "no medical complications were reported regarding pregnant women, postpartum mothers, and newborns," and the Maternity and Neonatology services continued to adhere to their care protocols. The statement added that health staff "remained in constant accompaniment and vigilance."
The official statement was a response to an anonymous post shared in the Facebook group "Sales in Manzanillo-Granma," where a user claimed several cesarean sections were interrupted mid-operation, and premature babies had to be moved to the ultrasound area due to the lack of electricity.
"Doctors are not magicians, they do what they can, and if they're not given conditions, they can't improvise," the author of the post wrote. The hospital labeled the publication as "FALSE."
Fe del Valle is the principal gynecological and obstetric hospital in Manzanillo and has historically been prioritized by Granma's territorial microgrid during SEN failures.
This time, according to the dossier from the Cuban News Agency, Granma’s microgrid was activated approximately one hour and 38 minutes after the disconnection, reaching about 21 MW to support hospitals, telecommunications, and water pumping.
The eighth total disconnection of the SEN in 2026 occurred on Thursday, September 18, between 1:52 p.m. and 1:57 p.m., triggered by the successive tripping of two 220 kV high-voltage lines originating in Matanzas: the Matanzas-Cienfuegos and the Matanzas-Santa Clara lines. Reuters estimated the blackout left nearly nine million people across the island without electricity.
The national interconnection was restored on Friday, September 19, at 8:21 p.m., although not all consumers regained service immediately. The episode at Fe del Valle exemplifies a recurring pattern with each SEN collapse: even prioritized hospitals are vulnerable when backup systems fail in sequence, and the official version and citizen accounts often provide conflicting narratives.
"I hope one day those in power have to endure like this," concluded the anonymous user whose post was marked false.
Understanding the Impact of Power Outages on Cuban Hospitals
What caused the power outage in Manzanillo?
The power outage in Manzanillo was caused by the eighth total collapse of the National Electric System (SEN), triggered by the successive tripping of two high-voltage lines originating in Matanzas.
How did the hospital manage the power failure?
Initially, the hospital managed the situation with a microgrid to ensure essential services. However, a subsequent failure in the microgrid and generator left the hospital without power until the issue was quickly resolved.
Were there any medical complications reported due to the outage?
According to the hospital, no medical complications were reported regarding pregnant women, postpartum mothers, and newborns during the power outage.