Cuba Begins Gradual Power Restoration After Island-Wide Blackout

Cuba is slowly restoring power after a massive island-wide blackout that left millions in the dark. The outage, caused by the collapse of one of the country’s largest power plants, threw the island into disarray. By Friday evening, small portions of Havana, including major hospitals, had begun receiving electricity, but the majority of the population remained without power.

The grid operator, Unión Eléctrica (UNE), announced that it had restarted some oil-fired generation plants overnight and hoped to gradually restore electricity to broader areas. However, the blackout underscored the critical state of Cuba’s deteriorating energy infrastructure, which has struggled for years under worsening fuel shortages and aging power plants.

Nationwide Impact: Schools, Businesses, and Social Life Shuttered

In a bid to manage the power crisis, the Cuban government ordered schools and non-essential industries to close and sent workers home early on Friday. Cultural and recreational activities, including nightclubs, were suspended to conserve electricity. But by midday, the Antonio Guiteras power plant, the largest and most efficient in the country, went offline, triggering a complete grid collapse.

As a result, nearly all daily activities in Havana came to a halt. Businesses closed, and many residents sat outside in the stifling heat, unable to cool their homes. Tourists were also caught off guard, as restaurants ran out of food due to the lack of power, and internet services were disrupted.

Brazilian tourist Carlos Roberto Julio, who arrived in Havana shortly before the blackout, expressed his frustration, saying, “We went to a restaurant and they had no food because there was no power. Now we are also without internet. In two days, we’ve already had several problems.”

Struggling Infrastructure and Fuel Shortages

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero attributed the worsening blackouts to a combination of deteriorating infrastructure, rising demand, and ongoing fuel shortages. The island’s energy grid, which relies heavily on oil-fired plants, has been stretched thin as fuel imports have plummeted. Strong winds from Hurricane Milton last week further hampered efforts to deliver fuel from tankers offshore to power plants.

The government also blames U.S. sanctions and the long-standing trade embargo for exacerbating the crisis. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated that the country’s economic difficulties, including its energy shortage, are largely due to “the intensification of the economic war and financial and energy persecution” by the United States.

However, the White House has denied responsibility for the current blackout. A spokesperson from the U.S. National Security Council emphasized that the United States is not to blame for the power failure or Cuba’s overall energy challenges. Meanwhile, a State Department official mentioned that Washington is monitoring the humanitarian impact of the blackout but noted that Cuba has not requested any assistance.

Venezuela and Other Fuel Suppliers Fall Short

Cuba’s reliance on oil from Venezuela has also hit a critical low. In the first nine months of 2024, Venezuela supplied Cuba with an average of just 32,600 barrels of oil per day, a sharp drop from the 60,000 barrels per day it sent in 2023. Venezuela’s own ailing refineries have limited its ability to export fuel, leaving Cuba to scramble for oil on the more expensive spot market.

In the past, Russia and Mexico provided additional fuel supplies to Cuba, but both countries have significantly reduced shipments this year, further compounding the energy crisis. With limited fuel available and the Cuban government teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, the country has few options to resolve the crisis quickly.

Life Amid the Blackout: Resilience and Adaptation

Despite the severity of the blackout, many Cubans have become accustomed to life without consistent electricity. Power outages are a common occurrence on the island, and residents have developed ways to cope with the frequent disruptions. Carlos Manuel Pedre, a resident of Havana, explained that during these times, people often default to simple, social activities like playing dominoes to pass the time.

“In the times we’re living in, with everything happening in our country, the most logical entertainment is dominoes,” Pedre said, adding, “We’re in total crisis.”

The nationwide blackout has added to the strain on Cuban society, where shortages of food, water, medicine, and fuel are already part of daily life. However, many citizens continue to endure these challenges with remarkable resilience, finding ways to maintain a sense of normalcy even in the face of worsening conditions.

The Road Ahead for Cuba’s Energy Sector

As Cuba works to restore power, the island faces an uphill battle to stabilize its fragile energy grid. The country’s reliance on aging oil-fired plants, coupled with declining fuel imports, presents significant challenges to maintaining a consistent power supply. While Cuba is attempting to revive its power generation capacity, long-term solutions are urgently needed.

Industry experts and Cuban officials have called for reforms to modernize the grid and diversify energy sources, including exploring alternative options such as solar or wind power. However, these changes will require substantial investment and international cooperation, both of which are in short supply.

For now, the Cuban government is focused on addressing the immediate crisis, but the blackout has revealed deep vulnerabilities in the country’s energy sector that will need to be addressed to prevent future nationwide outages.