Cubans Living from Daily Blackouts to Total Blackouts
HAVANA TIMES — The smell of sulfur still hangs in the air. A heavy downpour fell, with lightning, and then—either before or after—there was yet another collapse of Cuba’s National Electric System (SEN).
You wish things were different, but after the storm the city is calm. In reality, we live inside a constant storm, and our patience is only superficial.
Teresa, who lives in a neighborhood on the same electrical circuit as the children’s hospital—and therefore only loses power for six hours a day—hears a neighbor say, “The System went down.” At first, the phrase worked as a joke because of its double meaning, but it lost its humor long ago.
“System” doesn’t refer to the regime or the government, but to the National Electric System. Teresa couldn’t care less. More than a month ago, the transformer serving her neighborhood burned out, and since then she has had no electricity whatsoever. None at all. No one knows when it will be repaired. Dozens of transformers are out of service throughout the city of Matanzas.
Those who aren’t quite so unfortunate aren’t much better off. Even when the National Electric System doesn’t collapse, blackouts normally last between 48 and 72 hours. The only people somewhat better off are those who have managed to install solar panels and portable power stations, at a cost in US dollars that, when converted into Cuban pesos, amounts to more than a decade of the average Cuban salary.
What also makes life somewhat bearable are rechargeable lamps and fans. Cuban homes are full of them. Even so, there often aren’t enough for the whole family, and it is common to see adults and children sleeping on the floor with the front door open, trying to catch the breeze and the slight coolness of summer nights.
Today in Matanzas, only one electrical circuit was operating: the one serving the city center, including the Communist Party headquarters, the Provincial Government offices, the main park, a hotel, private businesses, and numerous homes. It also included the headquarters of the Electric Company.
The children’s hospital and the telecommunications company’s communications center were running on their own backup generators, giving them autonomy as long as they have fuel.
Since fuel is also in short supply, whenever the National Electric System collapses, crews immediately try to reconnect the circuits serving the hospitals. Two workers from the electric company were doing just that, while nearby residents who receive power from the same circuit—the greatest beneficiaries in this whole situation—helped them by lighting the area with cell phones and battery-powered flashlights, despite the light drizzle and the persistent smell of sulfur lingering in the air.
The air also smelled of resignation—and of anger.
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