Cuba’s government is working to restore electrical service across the island after the national grid collapsed for the second time in 24 hours. Lazaro Guerra, the country’s top electricity official, announced that technicians were working to reconnect three important power plants to the system after a malfunction in western Cuba caused a temporary stall in progress. The grid operator, UNE, reported a “total disconnection of the national electro-energetic system,” but it was not directly confirmed by Guerra, leading to some confusion.
The initial grid failure occurred after one of the island’s largest power plants shut down, leaving over 10 million people without power. The communist-run government had already been dealing with electricity shortages, leading to non-essential state workers being sent home and school classes being canceled to conserve fuel for generation. Although the situation seemed dire, lights began to flicker on in scattered areas early in the evening on Friday, providing hope that power would be restored.
The worsening blackouts in Cuba have been attributed to deteriorating infrastructure, fuel shortages, rising demand, and difficulties in acquiring fuel and spare parts due to the U.S. trade embargo and sanctions. Strong winds from Hurricane Milton also complicated the delivery of fuel from offshore boats to power plants. Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico, countries that were once key suppliers of fuel to Cuba, have reduced their exports, forcing the island to search for more expensive oil on the spot market.
Venezuela cut its deliveries of subsidized fuel to Cuba by half this year, adding to the challenges faced by the island in maintaining its power supply. The United States denied any involvement in the grid collapse in Cuba, but the government continues to point fingers at external factors contributing to the ongoing difficulties in securing fuel and maintaining power plants. Despite the challenges, Cuba is working to restore electricity to the millions of people affected by the recent blackout, with officials estimating important progress in reconnecting power plants to the system.
