A new breakdown at the Cienfuegos Thermoelectric Company caused block 3 to be disconnected from the National Electric System (SEN), authorities reported this Sunday.
The cause, unusually, is not a lack of maintenance, but rather the opposite: the regime claims that the failure was the result of the more than six months that the unit underwent scheduled maintenance processes.
"We reiterate to the public that such failures tend to occur due to the prolonged maintenance period of over 6 months," stated the official spokesperson identified as 'Raúl CTC Holguín' on social media, attempting to justify what clearly seems to be another technical failure.
The explanation sparked a wave of indignation and mockery among Cubans, who deemed it "absurd" that prolonged maintenance was presented as the cause of a breakdown just days after the launch.
"So the more it's repaired, the more it breaks?", asked a visibly upset user. "That's like taking the car to the mechanic for a week and having it explode as soon as you take it out of the shop," another commenter quipped.
Specialists and workers in the electrical sector also expressed their skepticism. User Hugo Mutis, identified as a technician, criticized the reasoning behind the statement.
"None of that makes sense. Precisely for that reason, because it comes from extended maintenance—where there is time to carry out the work with quality and precision, perform all kinds of tests, and conduct turbine run-ins to detect potential issues—making the necessary adjustments and hydraulic tests on the boiler should not result in these problems," said Mutis.
According to this user, "there was time for everything, and if adjustments need to be made to the turbine and its components, it means the unit was not ready for synchronization."
"On the contrary, these breakdowns should occur during short maintenance periods when many corrective tasks are tackled marathon-style for prompt synchronization. When work is done well and there is good quality control, none of this should happen, precisely because it stems from prolonged maintenance. In this case, if anything is surplus, it’s time to ensure a safe start and stability in operation. The rest is just talk and excuses," he added.
An official narrative filled with technical excuses and absurdities
This is not the first time the regime resorts to technical justifications to explain the blackouts that plague the country. Beyond the "U.S. blockade," the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel twists itself in all sorts of ways to justify its poor management.
In fact, the official rhetoric has evolved into an increasingly implausible catalog of excuses. From "rusty pipes" to the mysterious "flushing", and blaming rainy weather, investments, or unavoidable internal processes, officials have preferred to justify the blackouts with abstract causes rather than accept structural responsibilities.
One of the most questioned justifications has been the one that blamed alleged defective tubes for the overall malfunction of units in the SEN.
On another occasion, there was talk of the possibility of “locally manufacturing parts,” but the "raw material" was missing. As if the country hadn't had decades to anticipate the natural wear and tear of its aging plants. In fact, in almost a humorous tone, it was even suggested that power outages encouraged “family interaction.”
This series of explanations has been widely ridiculed by citizens, who highlight the total disconnect between the narrative of those in power and the reality in households. For many, what is at stake is not just the lack of electricity, but the constant mockery of their intelligence and daily suffering.
"It doesn't make sense," "we don't even know when the power is on," "this is a constant disrespect," or "another one for the meme" were recurring expressions among hundreds of messages from Cubans who, rather than being surprised by yet another outage, seemed more weary of the same repetitive narrative.
Without real solutions in sight
The official discourse attempts to normalize the disruptions, relying on technical jargon and repeated explanations, but the reality faced by the Cuban population is quite different.
The thermal power plants, many of which have been in operation for over 30 years, no longer guarantee stability or the minimum capacity needed to meet demand. Repairs, rather than providing relief, appear to be part of an endless cycle: maintenance, temporary entry into the national electricity grid, breakdown, and eventual exit.
In this vicious cycle, the Cuban people no longer expect explanations, but rather concrete solutions. However, as long as there is no political will, real investment, or long-term energy planning in place, it seems that the news will continue to report on "unexpected breakdowns" and "adjustment works," while the populace increasingly sinks into darkness.
The country of blackouts without accountability
While officials repeat pre-packaged statements and visit facilities that cannot remain stable for even 72 hours, the Cuban population continues to face power outages lasting more than 10 hours daily.
Everyday life has been completely disrupted: food spoiling, children unable to sleep, the elderly lacking ventilation, mothers cooking in the dark. Meanwhile, the official narrative offers no solutions, only excuses.
Since when has the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, not appeared to explain the situation of the SEN and the progress of his strategy to recover it?
The case of Block 3 in Cienfuegos is not an isolated incident, but rather another example of the ongoing collapse of the SEN and a form of governance where those in charge hide behind technicalities while the population bears the consequences.
The absurdity is not just that a breakdown occurs six months after repairs, but that the regime expects the people to understand it... and to accept it.
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