Cuba’s national power grid has once again experienced a significant failure, leading to widespread blackouts across the Caribbean island. The Antonio Guiteras power plant, the country’s leading electricity producer located in Matanzas, ceased operations at approximately 2 AM local time on Wednesday. This shutdown triggered a collapse of the national grid, affecting millions of residents.
In response to the situation, the Ministry of Energy and Mines announced via social media that efforts are underway to restore power. The ongoing challenges faced by Cuba’s oil-fired power plants, many of which are outdated and struggling to operate efficiently, have contributed to the frequency of these collapses. A reduction in oil imports from key suppliers such as Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico has further exacerbated this crisis.
Witness reports indicate that the capital, Havana, was largely left in darkness, with only a few hotels and government buildings displaying lights prior to sunrise. Social media reports suggested that the blackout affected the entire island, home to over 10 million people, although the government has not yet verified the full scale of the outage.
Cuba’s power infrastructure has faced multiple failures in recent months. In October alone, the grid collapsed several times, driven by diminishing fuel supplies and the impact of Hurricane Oscar, which compelled authorities to close schools and nonessential businesses. Further compounding the crisis, Hurricane Raphael struck the island as a Category 3 storm in November, packing winds of up to 185 km/h (115 mph) that caused considerable damage, uprooted trees, and toppled utilities infrastructure.
The Cuban government has attributed many of the recent power outages to challenges in securing fuel for electricity generation, highlighting the adverse effects of the U.S. trade embargo that has been in effect for over six decades. This long-standing embargo has led to significant economic hardships for the Cuban people, manifesting in soaring inflation and severe shortages of essential goods such as medication, food, and clean water.
As the nation grapples with these power supply issues, the resilience exhibited by its citizens remains notable. The situation underscores the importance of international support in addressing the challenges faced by the Cuban people, particularly in efforts to rebuild and modernize critical infrastructure for sustainable recovery.
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