Cuba Struggles to Restore Power Amid National Blackout Following Major Grid Failure
Havana, Cuba (AFP) — In the wake of a nationwide blackout caused by the unexpected shutdown of Cuba’s largest power plant, the island is feverishly working to restore electricity to its 11 million residents. With the capital city of Havana brought to a near halt—schools closed, public transportation at a standstill, and traffic lights non-functional—the energy crisis underscores the severe strain on the country’s antiquated electrical infrastructure.
The blackout follows a period of prolonged power outages that have lasted up to 20 hours per day in some regions, compelling Prime Minister Manuel Marrero to declare an “energy emergency.” The immediate cause of this blackout was identified as the collapse of the island’s biggest coal-fired power plant, the Antonio Guiteras plant, which exacerbated the already dire situation.
Lazara Guerra, the head of electricity supply at the Ministry of Energy, stated that while power generation has started again in some regions, the process of restoring full service to the nation is just beginning. "We have some level of electricity generation that will be used to start up power plants in several regions of the country," Guerra explained.
The government’s immediate response included suspending all non-essential public services to prioritize electricity supply to residential areas. Essential facilities, such as hospitals, continue to operate using generators, while schools have been closed until Monday.
Residents expressed frustration and concern over the power failures. “This is crazy,” shared Eloy Fon, an 80-year-old retiree from central Havana. “It shows the fragility of our electricity system… We have no reserves, there is nothing to sustain the country, we are living day-to-day.”
The outages have also heavily impacted businesses and individuals reliant on the internet for work. Barbara Lopez, a digital content creator, voiced her frustration: “It’s the worst I’ve seen in 47 years… We have no power or mobile data.”
The energy shortfall has risen dramatically, with national energy needs unmet by nearly 50 per cent as of Thursday, adding to the existing economic turmoil. President Miguel Diaz-Canel took to social media platform X to pledge tireless efforts in restoring power. He attributed the crisis to difficulties in acquiring fuel for power plants due to the ongoing United States trade embargo, which was tightened under former President Donald Trump.
Concurrently, Cuba continues to grapple with its most severe economic crisis since the Soviet Union’s collapse in the early 1990s, facing rampant inflation, and shortages of necessities like food, medicine, fuel, and water. This situation has spurred significant emigration, with over 700,000 Cubans having entered the United States between January 2022 and August 2024.
To address the energy crisis, Cuba has leased seven floating power plants from Turkish companies and introduced numerous small diesel-powered generators. However, these measures have been insufficient to prevent widespread outages that recall the notorious blackouts of 2021, which led to unprecedented protests across the nation.
As the government works towards a solution, the future remains uncertain, with many Cubans losing faith in relief arriving any time soon.
