Cuban comedian Víctor Molina recently shared a video on his Facebook account expressing his deep frustration over the severe electricity shortages affecting his area in Havana. For nearly 20 days, residents have been receiving just two and a half hours of power each day.
"I hope this situation we're experiencing—where the lights are on for only two and a half hours a day—doesn't become a permanent fixture because we truly don't deserve this," Molina remarks in the video recorded from his home.
Molina, who frequently visits the United States but resides in Havana, had just returned from one of his trips abroad, highlighting the stark contrast with the current conditions in Cuba.
In the video, the comedian describes power cuts lasting up to 22 consecutive hours, with electricity only being available during the early morning hours, making it difficult to perform essential tasks. "Two and a half hours, and now they've decided to provide it in the middle of the night. I really don't understand how we have 22 hours without power and just two and a half hours, if that, with it," he laments.
His grievance extends beyond practical issues: "Without electricity, we have no idea if aliens have arrived, if the world is ending—we're completely in the dark," he adds, concluding with a note of exasperation: "We don't deserve this. I haven't even had time to do laundry, and I've been wearing the same shirt for three days."
Molina's account is consistent with the statistics reported by Havana's Electric Company in recent weeks. On Thursday, the capital was dealing with 91 affected circuits and 217 MW of interrupted power load as early as 6 a.m., with the Freyre 2 circuit experiencing 18 hours and 13 minutes without electricity.
On Sunday, the P322 circuit in Centro Habana suffered a blackout lasting 19 hours and 41 minutes, with 160 circuits impacted across the entire city.
The root cause of the crisis is the structural collapse of the National Electrical System (SEN). On Wednesday, available power was a mere 1,017 MW compared to a demand of 2,950 MW, resulting in a deficit of nearly 2,000 MW.
The situation deteriorated further in mid-October when a fire at the Santa Cruz Thermal Power Plant's unit one reduced national availability to 740 MW, impacting up to 75.5% of the country's demand.
"Two and a half hours, I repeat, and a half, we measured it. And now during the night. It's tough, tough," concludes Molina in the video, which quickly amassed over 128,000 views and approximately 6,600 reactions.
Understanding Havana's Power Crisis
What is causing the power outages in Havana?
The power outages are primarily due to the structural collapse of the National Electrical System (SEN), exacerbated by a fire at the Santa Cruz Thermal Power Plant, leading to significant deficits in power availability.
How long are residents in Havana without electricity?
Residents have been experiencing power cuts lasting up to 22 consecutive hours, with electricity available for only about two and a half hours each day.
How has the community reacted to the electricity shortages?
The community, including public figures like Víctor Molina, has expressed significant frustration and distress over the ongoing electricity shortages, as they disrupt daily life and basic activities.