Cuba's national energy grid suffered a major failure early Thursday, severing power to the island's eastern provinces, authorities said, as residents in the capital Havana faced ongoing blackouts. The country's aging power grid has eroded in recent years as it confronts a prolonged economic crisis, recently exacerbated by a U.S. energy blockade of the island. Daily life has become an ordeal for many of Cuba's 10 million people.
Collapse Details
The state-run Electric Union announced that the collapse had stripped power from all eastern provinces, from Guantánamo to Ciego de Ávila. Crews were working to restore electricity, but no estimate was given for how long it would take. The previous day, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel described the energy situation as "tense" after oil supplies delivered by a Russian vessel in late March ran out. Cuba produces barely 40% of the fuel it needs to power its economy.
Russian Fuel Shipment Delayed
Russia announced plans to send a second fuel ship to Cuba in early April. According to Russian news reports, the oil tanker left the Russian Baltic port of Vysotsk in January but has been stuck in the same location in the Atlantic Ocean for several weeks.
Impact on Havana
Power outages in Havana, where authorities have been rationing electricity, stretched to 24 consecutive hours on Thursday. On Wednesday evening, Associated Press journalists observed residents in numerous neighborhoods banging pots and pans and setting fire to trash cans to protest the blackouts. Hours later, Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy appeared on Cuban television to describe the energy situation as "critical."
Government Blames U.S. Sanctions
Cuba's power grid is crumbling, but the government has also blamed the outages on U.S. sanctions after President Donald Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The Trump administration has demanded that Cuba release political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalization in return for a lifting of sanctions.
Consequences for Daily Life
The blackouts have led to reduced work hours and food spoilage as refrigerators stop working. In some cases, hospitals have canceled surgeries. The ongoing crisis continues to strain the daily lives of millions of Cubans.
