Cuba found itself in the conditions of a nationwide blackout after the failure of one of the country’s largest power plants, which led to the shutdown of the national power grid. As informs According to Reuters, the incident left about 10 million people without power, and the government was forced to close schools, non-essential businesses and send civil servants home in an attempt to minimize the strain on the power grid.
The Antonio Guiteras power plant, the island’s largest and most efficient, shut down shortly before noon, causing a complete blackout in Cuba. Officials have not yet clarified what caused the accident.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the government would do everything possible to restore electricity: “There will be no peace until the electricity returns.”
The outage is yet another blow to Cubans, who have long faced acute shortages of basic resources such as food, fuel, water and medicine. The power outage was another manifestation of the deepening energy crisis that gripped the island.
The blackout forced the government to cancel all non-essential public services and close schools, including universities, until Sunday. Cultural and entertainment events, including night clubs, were also canceled.
Officials announced that they have begun work to restore power, but the process may take some time. In the meantime, life in the capital, Havana, practically came to a standstill, with many residents seeking relief from the heat by sitting on doorsteps.
Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero explained that the power outages in recent weeks were the result of deteriorating infrastructure, fuel shortages and growing demand. In his address to the nation, he emphasized that the main cause of the energy crisis is precisely the lack of fuel.
Officials also said strong winds from Hurricane Milton last week made it impossible to deliver limited fuel supplies from ships to the power plant, further exacerbating the situation.
The Cuban government also blames the difficult energy situation on the US trade embargo and sanctions imposed during the presidency of Donald Trump. President Díaz-Canel said that Cuba’s economic and energy difficulties are exacerbated by “economic warfare and financial harassment” by the United States.
However, a representative of the US National Security Council emphasized that the United States is not to blame for the energy crisis in Cuba.
Rising demand for electricity, particularly from the private sector, has depleted the island’s fuel reserves, leaving Cuba on the brink of power shortages while the government teeters on the brink of financial collapse.
