Cuba Begins Restoration of Power After Nationwide Blackout

Cuba has started restoring power to Havana and surrounding areas after a nationwide blackout impacted 10 million people. About 19% of Havana’s clients regained electricity, although full recovery is uncertain, with significant concerns over food spoilage. The grid failure is attributed to aging infrastructure and external sanctions, leading the government to pursue renewable energy solutions.

Cuba has commenced the restoration of electricity in Havana and surrounding areas following a nationwide blackout that affected 10 million residents. As of Sunday morning, about 19% of Havana’s customers had their power restored, although the full recovery timetable remains undefined. The energy ministry reported that the Felton power plant, a significant facility in the eastern provinces, has resumed operations while the larger Antonio Guinteras plant in Matanzas is still offline.

The power outage has caused anxiety among residents of Havana, as food supplies have been at risk of spoiling after nearly 36 hours without electricity. Most of the city, which has a population of around two million, has remained powerless since Friday evening, with only a handful of tourist hotels and businesses equipped with generators continuing to operate normally.

The blackout resulted from a malfunction at a substation’s transmission line in Havana, disrupting power generation across the island—a crisis that has unfolded periodically, marking the fourth nationwide blackout since October. Cuba’s aging oil-fired power plants, exacerbated by declining oil imports from its international sources, faced operational challenges even before this incident.

The Cuban government attributes the energy crisis to the longstanding U.S. trade embargo and additional sanctions imposed by former President Donald Trump, which complicate fuel imports. In response to the ongoing crisis, the government is initiating a push for solar energy development with assistance from China to diminish reliance on outdated oil-powered generation systems.

Cuba is actively working on restoring electricity to its capital and surrounding regions after a significant grid failure that affected millions. While some areas have begun to see power restored, concerns about food spoilage persist among residents. The energy crisis is linked to an aging energy infrastructure and external economic sanctions, prompting the government to explore renewable energy solutions to improve stability and reliability in the future.

Original Source: www.usnews.com