What happened to Cuba's energy grid?

People gather in a plaza as Cuba is hit by an island-wide blackout, in Havana, Cuba, October 18, 2024. Cuba’s energy grid has collapsed, leaving millions without power, the latest in a series of failures on an island struggling from creaking infrastructure, natural disasters and economic turmoil.

Will Cuba's energy crisis be a new problem?

On Friday, the US Embassy in Cuba issued a notice on X saying there was “no information on when power will be restored.” It called US citizens in Cuba, or those planning to travel to Cuba, to “take precautions,” including conserving water and food, and keeping mobile phones charged. Cuba’s energy crisis is not a new problem.

Is Cuba running on generators?

The country’s health minister, José Angel Portal Miranda, said on X that the country’s health facilities were running on generators and health workers continued to provide vital services. This week, Cuba’s increasingly energy-strapped government called for draconian measures to save power, including telling many workers to stay home.

Are US sanctions hurting Cuba's energy sector?

Cuban officials say US economic sanctions, which increased under the previous Trump administration, have further crippled the already ailing energy sector, although critics also fault a lack of government investment in infrastructure. For nearly a week in October, most of Cuba suffered near-total blackouts, the worst energy outages in decades.

What happened to Cuba's power plant?

The situation came to a head on Friday, when Cuba's largest power plant malfunctioned, joining several smaller plants already offline. Foul weather had also stalled the arrival of fuel from tanker ships offshore, starving the island's power plants. The combination prompted the entire grid to collapse.

What happened to power in Cuba?

As the year began, Cubans observed a rise in power outages, particularly in the eastern provinces. By March, the Antonio Guiteras Thermal Power Plant experienced breakdowns, leaving several provinces without power. The situation worsened in May and June, with some regions enduring outages for up to 12 hours daily.