Cuban authorities implemented scheduled power cuts in Havana on Monday, more than two months after the application of these saving measures in other provinces of the country in the face of difficulties in the production and distribution of energy. , noted AFP.

“At 10:30 a.m. sharp, they cut the power as planned. Now we will see what time it comes back, if it comes back on time,” a 74-year-old retiree from Havana East told AFP.

The 2.1 million inhabitants of the capital will suffer two power cuts of four hours per week, said the governor, Reinaldo Garcia Zapata, quoted Friday in the official daily La tribune de La Havana.

The cuts will not affect essential services such as hospitals or the distribution of water or gas.

"Now is the time to contribute so that the rest of Cuba suffers less from these unwanted cuts," said the governor, calling on the people of Havana to show "solidarity" with the province.

In recent weeks, these power cuts have drawn public ire, especially at night, and led to pan concerts in protest because without a fan or air conditioner, it is hard for many to get to sleep.

The power cuts had been one of the triggers for the large-scale anti-government demonstrations on July 11, 2021, the largest for 60 years on the communist island.

Some 700 people are still imprisoned for having taken part in this popular uprising.

These rationing obligations are the result of maintenance work at the country's outdated power plants and frequent outages on the dilapidated grid.

"The emergency situation that the electricity system is going through will gradually recover," said the production manager of Union Electrica, the public company responsible for supplying electricity.

Cuba's electricity system currently has an average capacity of 2,500 megawatts, insufficient for household demand at peak times which, according to official information, reaches 2,900 megawatts.