All Cubans, without exception, have graduated as electrical engineers, more by necessity than by vocation
14ymedio, Natalia López Moya, October 12, 2024 — Popular discomfort can be measured in decibels in Cuba. The collective cry that erupts immediately when the blackout hits has been increasing in volume and now takes longer to subside. This morning, a roar ran through Infanta Street, in Downtown Havana, from the corner of San Rafael to the vicinity of Zanja. The sound of indignation reached the vehicles waiting to fill up with fuel at the nearby service center. This Saturday, although there was gasoline to dispatch, a power cut forced sales to be suspended.
“Here when it’s not one thing, it’s another: when Juana (who puts order in the line) is not missing then her sister is missing,” roared a customer with neck veins about to burst who had marked his spot in line “before the sun rose” to refuel and make a trip to the province for “a family reunion.” Behind the steering wheel of each car, a story of urgency and despair was heard. “I have to put something in the tank yes, yes, because in my house there is nothing to eat and I live by moving merchandise,” commented the owner of a small van that offers his services to several stores in freely convertible currency.
In the midst of the murmur of dissatisfaction there came worse news. “The Electric Union says that the deficit is again above 1,200 megawatts today,” warned the driver of a Lada with a faded red color due to the passage of time and the lack of retouching. With that figure, very similar to that of recent weeks, those who were waiting to buy fuel understood what would happen. “We know when the blackout began but not when it will end,” said another who had pushed, along with his son, the old familiar Moskvitch until he was in line.
Every Cuban can recite by heart the names of the most important thermoelectric plants in the country
An improvised workshop on boilers, generators and the generation capacity of the National Energy System then began. Every Cuban can recite by heart the names of the most important thermoelectric plants in the country and predict what impact a hundred kilowatts will have on the already very high national deficit. The people have passed an accelerated course in turbines, valves, fuel transfer from ships, generating plants and consumption during peak hours. All, without exception, have graduated as electrical engineers, obliged more by necessity than by vocation.
Above the heads of the improvised gathering on Infanta Street, the blue sky barely had a few clouds this morning. “There is no smoke from the patanas, so today they have not been able to turn them on either,” concluded one of the drivers, pointing up. The patanas — Turkish floating power plants — anchored in Havana Bay, have been able to operate only at night during the last few days due to the lack of fuel to stay on all day. “Last night the noise was deafening throughout Luyanó,” said another frustrated customer, who decided to sit on the sidewalk waiting for the power to return. “So much noise for nothing,” he sighed.
A few meters away, the traffic light at the intersection with San Lázaro Avenue did not have electricity either, and cars ventured to cross without order or traffic police to direct them. The blackout also brings out a wild side of people, returns them in part to the caves, to those times when gas stations did not exist, thermoelectric plants were not even invented and fire was the only source of light that accompanied a human being in the middle of darkness.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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