Cuba’s government has announced that it is once more working to restore electrical service across the island following reports from state-run media indicating that the national grid had collapsed again within a 24-hour period.
The country’s leading electricity official, Lazaro Guerra, stated on a morning television news segment that a further grid failure in western Cuba had prompted technicians to resume connecting three major power plants to the system, temporarily hindering progress.
“I cannot guarantee that we will finish linking the system today, but we anticipate that significant advancements will be made today,” Mr. Guerra mentioned.
Just before his remarks, CubaDebate, a state-run media outlet, conveyed that the grid operator, UNE, reported a “total disconnection of the national electro-energetic system.”
The electrical grid in Cuba first collapsed around midday yesterday after one of the island’s largest power plants experienced a failure, abruptly leaving more than 10 million people without electricity.
Even prior to the collapse, an ongoing electricity shortfall had led Cuba’s communist government to send non-essential state workers home and suspend classes for children as part of efforts to conserve fuel for power generation.
However, lights began to flicker in various areas across the island early yesterday evening, providing a glimmer of hope for power restoration.
The grid operator has yet to disclose any specifics regarding the cause of the latest grid failure or the estimated time required to restore service.
We need your consent to load this rte-player content. We utilize rte-player to manage additional content that may set cookies on your device and gather data about your activity. Please review the details and accept to load the content. Manage Preferences
Cuba’s government has attributed the worsening blackouts—often lasting 10 to 20 hours a day across the island—to failing infrastructure, fuel shortages, and increasing demand.
Strong winds accompanying Hurricane Milton last week also complicated efforts to transport limited fuel from offshore boats to the power plants, officials have noted.
Fuel shipments to the island have seen a noticeable decline this year, as Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico—previously significant suppliers—have cut back on their exports to Cuba.
Cuba’s key ally, Venezuela, reduced its deliveries of subsidized fuel to Cuba by half this year, compelling the island to look for more expensive oil on the spot market.
The Cuban government further attributes its fuel shortages to the US trade embargo and sanctions imposed during former President Donald Trump’s administration, which have hindered its ability to procure fuel and spare parts required for the operation and maintenance of oil-fired plants.
“The complex situation is primarily caused by the intensification of the economic war and the financial and energy persecution from the United States,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated on X.
Yesterday, the United States denied any involvement in Cuba’s grid collapse.
A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council remarked: “The United States is not responsible for today’s blackout on the island, nor the overall energy situation in Cuba.”
A State Department official indicated that the US is closely monitoring the potential humanitarian impact of the blackout, though the Cuban government has not requested assistance.
Virtually all commerce in Havana halted, with many residents sitting on doorsteps in the heat.
The blackout signifies a new low on an island where life has become increasingly intolerable, as residents face shortages of food, fuel, water, and medicine.
Commerce in Havana came to a standstill yesterday, leaving many residents languishing on doorsteps.
Tourists expressed frustration as darkness enveloped the city by nightfall.
“We went to a restaurant and they ran out of food due to the power outage, and now we have no internet,” said Brazilian tourist Carlos Roberto Julio, who has recently arrived in Havana. “In just two days, we’ve encountered multiple problems.”
This week, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero attributed the increasing blackouts over recent weeks to a familiar scenario for most Cubans: crumbling infrastructure, fuel shortages, and heightened demand.
“The fuel shortage is the primary issue,” Mr. Marrero declared in a televised address to the nation.
A US State Department official stated that Washington is keeping a close watch on the potential humanitarian repercussions of the blackout.
For many Cubans, who are far removed from political matters and accustomed to regular power outages, the nationwide blackout was just another typical night.
Carlos Manuel Pedre shared that he has turned to simple pastimes to pass the time.
“In these times we are living, given everything happening in our country, the best entertainment is playing dominoes,” he said while enjoying the game with friends.
“We are in total crisis.”
While the demand for electricity has risen in recent years alongside Cuba’s emerging private sector, fuel supplies have plummeted.
Venezuela, Cuba’s largest oil supplier, has cut shipments to the island to an average of 32,600 barrels per day in the year’s first nine months—barely half of the 60,000 bpd sent during the same period in 2023, according to vessel-tracking data and internal shipping documents from Venezuela’s state-run company, PDVSA.
PDVSA, whose refining infrastructure is also struggling, has sought to avoid a new wave of fuel scarcity domestically, resulting in fewer volumes available for export to supportive nations like Cuba.
Additionally, both Russia and Mexico, which have previously supplied fuel to Cuba, have significantly reduced shipments as well.
The shortfalls have left Cuba to navigate the far pricier spot market at a time when the government is nearing bankruptcy.
