The Electric Union of Cuba (UNE, in Spanish) is executing a program to install 5,000 photovoltaic systems of 2 kilowatts (kW), donated by the People’s Republic of China, as part of a strategy to mitigate the impact of the energy crisis caused by the U.S. blockade and diversify the generation matrix on the island.
A total of 2,671 of these systems have been earmarked for critical municipal centers, with priority given to essential public services that require uninterrupted operation during grid failures. The program is designed to guarantee energy autonomy for key facilities, including maternal and elderly care homes, polyclinics, funeral homes, bank branches, radio stations, and communications offices.
As these are isolated systems that do not depend on the national electro-energy system, these institutions will be able to maintain essential functions such as vaccine refrigeration and emergency medical care during supply cuts.
The distribution of the equipment was coordinated between national and local agencies to ensure that resources reach all provinces equitably.
“Installing a 2 kW system in a vital municipal center is the perfect tool to protect what is essential, what is truly needed to achieve the autonomy of that municipality,” said the head of the system installation project, Elena Ortiz.
“The aim of installing these 2 kW systems is not self-sufficiency for total consumption, but rather the energy survival of that center, which at the same time contributes to the vitality of the municipality and the province,” added Ortiz.
☀️⚡️| UEB Quivicán continúa en el día de hoy las labores de montaje del módulo de Sistema Fotovoltaico Autónomo (SFVA) de 2 kW en el Policlínico Pablo Noriega de Quivicán.#eléctricosmayabeque, #Mayabeque, #JuntosPorMayabeque, #UniónEléctrica pic.twitter.com/QOkA5cmDnG
— Empresa Eléctrica Mayabeque (@EEMayabeque) March 2, 2026

On the other hand, 2,329 systems were allocated to homes located in hard-to-reach communities. The benefit reaches households that have never had electricity service. The implementation of this solar technology seeks to transform the quality of life in rural areas by allowing the use of basic household appliances and encouraging residents to remain in their localities.
This effort adds to other renewable energy initiatives carried out by UNE, such as the installation of charging stations for children dependent on electricity and a Canadian donation project in Holguin that benefits more than 500 isolated homes.
On January 29 U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing Washington to impose tariffs on goods from countries that supply oil to Cuba.

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