Cuba Faces Widespread Blackout After Power Plant Failure

Cuba‘s electrical grid experienced a complete shutdown on Friday following the failure of one of its major power plants, as confirmed by the island’s energy ministry. The Antonio Guiteras Power Plant, identified as Cuba’s largest and most efficient, went offline around 11 a.m. ET, resulting in a blackout countrywide.

The power outage has left approximately 10 million Cubans without electricity. This abrupt disruption led to the closure of schools, non-essential industries, and the sending home of state workers as part of desperate measures by the Communist government to manage the crisis. “There will be no rest until (power) is restored,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced on the platform X.

In Havana, the capital city, a lack of functioning streetlights resulted in chaotic traffic, with only a few police officers directing motorists. The blackout impacted countless residences and businesses unprepared with backup generators, a luxury not widely affordable across the island.

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz addressed the public in a delayed televised message, attributing the ongoing rolling blackouts to systemic problems including deteriorating infrastructure, chronic fuel shortages, and heightened electricity demand. Marrero remarked, “We have been paralyzing economic activity to generate (power) to the population.”

The national shutdown arrives amid a worsening energy crisis exacerbated by the cumulative effects of U.S. economic sanctions, consecutive hurricanes, and a neglectful state of infrastructure. Earlier in 2022, a devastating fire at a fuel facility in Matanzas severely compromised the country’s fuel reserves.

Compounding the situation, Cuba’s Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, had warned earlier this year about the precarious state of the nation’s power plants. Recent statements revealed that seven out of eight thermoelectric plants are either offline or under maintenance.

The Cuban Electric Union added that 37 of its power generation plants lack the necessary fuel to operate, further straining the island’s capacity to restore power quickly. Despite efforts to amplify energy production with solar panels, the full benefits of these initiatives will not be realized for another two years.

Reportedly, Venezuela, Cuba’s largest oil supplier, has significantly reduced its shipments, compounded by a decrease in contributions from both Russia and Mexico. This reduction has forced Cuba to rely on the more expensive spot market at a time of financial hardship for the government.

The Cuban government continues addressing the crisis as they await further fuel deliveries to aid in alleviation. This developing story will be updated as additional information becomes available.