Cuba Faces Prolonged Blackouts Amidst Widespread Power Outages

Qué pasó

Cuba experienced a massive, widespread power outage starting Wednesday night, affecting millions of people across the island. The national electric system faced significant deficits, leading to extended periods without electricity in various regions.

The Union Eléctrica (UNE) reported new issues in the national electric system on Thursday, failing to provide an updated balance of affected customers. This situation followed an "unforeseen exit" from the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric power plant, a crucial generation facility.

Dónde y cuándo

The blackouts began on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday and Friday, with some areas reporting power outages lasting up to 84 hours. Specifically, Colón in Matanzas experienced prolonged outages, while Holguín and parts of Havana reported over 36 and 40 hours without electricity, respectively.

The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, a primary source of power, experienced a failure that triggered a cascading shutdown of the national electric grid.

Por qué es importante

This prolonged and widespread blackout significantly impacted essential services beyond just electricity. Mobile and landline services failed in several areas, internet connectivity was interrupted, and some neighborhoods in Havana experienced gas supply suspensions.

The disruptions also led to the suspension of classes for approximately 300,000 students across all educational levels in Havana. Citizens also reported significant losses of food due to a lack of refrigeration.

Qué dicen las partes

The Union Eléctrica (UNE) stated that unit 3 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes thermoelectric plant, unit 6 of the Diez de Octubre plant, and unit 2 of the Ernesto Guevara plant were either connected or in the process of starting up. Lázaro Guerra, director of Electricity at the Ministry of Energy and Minas, explained that the failure at the Antonio Guiteras plant caused the national grid to fall. He also mentioned that a shortage of fuel for distributed generation engines might have worsened the situation.

Technicians are inspecting the Antonio Guiteras plant to find a crack that caused the failure. The UNE attributes the ongoing energy crisis to a lack of imported fuel and international sanctions, while independent experts point to the deterioration of power plants over 40 years old.

Qué viene ahora

Technicians are continuing inspections at the Antonio Guiteras plant to assess the damage and determine its repair timeline. The UNE has not set a date for its reactivation, but the plant could generate over 200 MW if tests confirm its functionality.

Cuba has been facing a prolonged energy crisis since mid-2024, marked by frequent national blackouts and daily power deficits. The slow recovery from this latest massive outage suggests continued challenges in stabilizing the national electric system.