Chaos in Havana due to blackout and worsening savings measures

This news came like a bomb blast on Tuesday night. The Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant (CTE) will be disconnected from the national electricity system from Wednesday 28 February for 17 days to complete maintenance works.

Messages and informational notes were constantly sent from one cell phone to another. Family and friends in other countries asked if what was already being said thousands of miles away was true. Yes, there will be more bitter days to come as the most important power plant in the West withdraws from the power generation system. Sorrow and worry blackened the faces of even the most experienced people in these years of deprivation and hardships.

With the “operational” news, two figures hated by the Cuban people returned: the contingency measures plan and the plan for hourly and municipal blackouts; A kind of Russian roulette that no one wants to get involved in lest they find out they are getting shot on the drum.

Officials decided to invoke contingency arrangement no. 1 which focuses on extreme savings measures during times of peak consumption, called peaks. Thus, the use of administrative air conditioners is prohibited at all times, everything in work centers is shut down during scheduled hours, except for continuous production. Paralyzing work activities and promoting teleworking or remote work.

It was also indicated to limit lighting as much as possible in hallways, staircases and common areas in work centers. Prohibit use of electric ovens or pumping of water in the state area during peak hours.

As if this were not enough, on Wednesday a blackout was planned from 8 am to 4 pm in areas belonging to the ten most populous municipalities in the Cuban capital.

There will be a power outage of up to eight hours around San Luis and Luz streets in the 10 de Octubre municipality; The cast includes Arroyo Naranjo to Frank Pace; In the districts of Aldabo, Majora, Panamericana and Abel Santamaría of the municipality of Boyeros; throughout the industrial area of ​​Berroa in eastern Havana; Alberto, in the districts of Santa Maria del Rosario and the road from Santa Maria to Alberto in Cotaro.

There will be no electricity in the areas around Adriano, Maceo, Perdomo and Diez de Octubre streets in the Ultramarine municipality of Regla, as well as in the Alturas de la Coronela and Ampliación de Arroyo Arenas districts, belonging to La Lisa. The Buena Vista and Siboney neighborhoods in Playa and the neighborhoods around Camagüey, Avenida Boyeros and La Guayaba streets in El Cerro will be joined by the California and Jacomino neighborhoods in San Miguel del Padrón.

Immediately, as a way to minimize the impact, the Cuban Electrical Union proceeds to justify that “these measures, among others, are important to reduce demand and minimize the impact on the population,” Therefore it would be “extremely necessary”. Comply, analyze and take strict measures against non-compliant parties, both political and administrative.”