Cuba faced yet another crippling power outage early Wednesday morning after the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant, the island’s largest electricity producer, failed at around 2 am (local time), leading to a nationwide blackout.
This marks the third major grid collapse in just two months, highlighting the deepening energy and economic crisis in the country.
According to Cuba’s ministry of energy and mines, the plant’s failure automatically disconnected the national grid, leaving the island’s more than 10 million residents without power.
The blackout dealt a significant blow to Havana, where most neighbourhoods remained in darkness except for sporadic lights in large hotels and government buildings, as reported by a Reuters witness.
Reports from social media indicated widespread outages across the country, although official confirmation on the extent of the blackout was awaited.
Energy minister Vicente de la O Levy, in a televised address, stated that the government was working to reconnect the grid, promising service restoration by Thursday. He clarified that there was no damage to other operational plants and attributed the outage to the ageing infrastructure of Cuba’s oil-fired power plants.
Repeated failures fuel frustration
The Antonio Guiteras plant, located in Matanzas province, has been at the centre of Cuba’s ongoing energy challenges. The plant has suffered multiple breakdowns in recent months, including in October, when a four-day blackout left the island paralysed.
This was compounded by Hurricanes Oscar and Rafael, which further damaged the fragile electrical grid.
As per the news agency AFP, these failures are exacerbated by dwindling fuel imports from traditional allies like Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico, leaving Cuba’s obsolete power plants struggling to operate. Fuel shortages have also hampered the functioning of the rented floating power plants from Turkey, which supplement the grid.
Economic strain and public outrage
The blackouts have worsened Cuba’s economic malaise, described as the most severe since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Inflation, food and fuel shortages, and deteriorating purchasing power have pushed thousands to flee the country in recent years.
The energy crisis has not only affected households but also disrupted schools and businesses, forcing authorities to suspend non-essential services in Havana on Wednesday.
Osnel Delgado, a Havana-based contemporary dancer, expressed the despair shared by many Cubans.
“The constant blackouts make it hard to stay motivated. It feels like the environment is against us,” he told AFP. Protests erupted last month in response to repeated outages, with many calling for urgent government action.
Struggling grid and alternative solutions
Cuba’s eight thermoelectric plants, including Antonio Guiteras, rely on outdated technology and imported crude oil. The country produces about half of its own oil but struggles to source the remainder due to US sanctions and the high cost of imports.
Efforts are underway to transition to alternative energy sources. According to AP, Cuba is constructing 31 solar energy centres to reduce its reliance on oil-based power plants. However, these projects are unlikely to alleviate the immediate crisis.