Cuba Restores Power to Havana After Major Electricity Outage

Cuba has restored power to much of Havana after a significant two-day outage impacting 10 million residents. By late Sunday, two-thirds of electricity customers in the capital were reconnected, with further efforts underway. The blackout, triggered by a failure in the transmission grid, highlights ongoing energy challenges in the country, exacerbated by obsolete generation facilities and external sanctions.

Cuba has successfully reconnected its national electrical grid, restoring power to much of Havana following a major outage that affected approximately 10 million residents. By late Sunday, two-thirds of Havana’s electric customers had their electricity restored, with expectations for this number to rise throughout the night. Cheers erupted in neighborhoods as electricity returned after two days without power.

The outage originated on Friday evening when a transmission line at a Havana substation shorted, leading to a widespread blackout that paralyzed the capital’s commerce, darkened restaurants, and halted traffic lights in a city of two million. The grid operator confirmed that the two largest oil-fired power plants in the country—Felton and Antonio Guiteras—were again operational by late Sunday, marking a significant step toward full recovery.

Power was also restored to Pinar del Rio province, the last region to regain electricity, just before sundown on Sunday. This event marked Cuba’s fourth nationwide blackout since October, highlighting ongoing issues with its aging oil-fired power plants, which have struggled to maintain adequate electricity generation amid dwindling oil imports from Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico.

Prior to the outage, many Cubans were already enduring severe blackouts lasting up to 20 hours daily. Despite the restoration efforts, officials reported that production remained at only one-third of normal daily demand, leaving many areas without power. As a precaution, schools across Pinar del Río, Artemisa, and Mayabeque provinces will remain closed until Tuesday to ensure favorable conditions for students.

The Cuban government attributes the ongoing energy crisis partially to the U.S. trade embargo established during the Cold War and recent sanctions imposed by former President Donald Trump. In response, the government is seeking to establish large-scale solar farms, with assistance from China, to reduce reliance on outdated oil-fired generation.

In summary, Cuba has made significant progress in restoring electricity to Havana and surrounding areas following a major blackout that affected millions. While two-thirds of the capital regained power, challenges remain due to outdated infrastructure and insufficient oil imports. The government is exploring solar energy solutions as a long-term strategy to address its energy crisis.

Original Source: gazette.com