The Cuban government has been working to restore power to millions of residents after a nationwide power outage left the entire country in darkness. President Miguel Diaz-Canel reassured the nation that efforts were being made to stabilize the electrical system by prioritizing the restoration of power. The outage, which experts described as the worst in two years, was preceded by several days of flickering power, prompting authorities to call for nonessential activities to cease. Schools were closed, and some state workers were sent home as a precaution.
The outage was caused by a failure at the Antonio Guiteras power plant in western Cuba, which led to a collapse of the power grid across the country. Despite efforts to reconnect the three major power plants, there were still setbacks with a second collapse reported by state-run media. Lazaro Guerra, Cuba’s top electricity official, expressed optimism about making progress in restoring the electrical system, citing the technical complexity of the process as a challenge. President Diaz-Canel visited the National Electricity Office to show support for the recovery efforts and emphasized that the country would overcome the crisis.
Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy provided updates on the progress, stating that generation would gradually increase with 500 megawatts already in the system. Various substations in the west had been restored, signaling some improvement in the power supply. Cuba has a history of struggling with blackouts and instability in its electrical grid due to factors such as ageing infrastructure, fuel shortages, and economic challenges. The recent impact of Hurricane Milton, which caused damage to the country on October 9, has also been cited as a contributing factor to the energy crisis.
Critics have blamed mismanagement in the Cuban government for the ongoing energy crisis, pointing to protests earlier in the year against food and fuel shortages. The country’s economy has been facing one of its worst crises since the 1990s, exacerbated by United States sanctions and instability in fuel-supplying countries like Venezuela. The challenges faced by Cuba in maintaining a reliable power supply highlight the complex issues affecting the country’s infrastructure and economy. Despite these difficulties, President Diaz-Canel and his administration have expressed confidence in overcoming the current crisis and restoring stability to the country.
