Cuba’s Worst Blackout in Two Years: Electricity Restored, but Situation Remains Critical

Some electricity was restored in Cuba, the government said Saturday, after the island nation’s worst blackout in at least two years left millions without electricity for two days.

Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said the country had 500 megawatts in its electrical grid early Saturday, compared to the 3 gigawatts that are normally generated. He posted on the social media platform X that “several substations in the west now have electricity.”

O Levy also said two thermoelectric power plants are back and two more will resume their operations “in the next few hours.”

#Cuba
Proceso de Restauración SEN 🇨🇺
Servidos en estos momentos
370 MW, es la suma de lo que tenemos en microsistemas. Se incrementará la generación con la entrada, esta tarde, de termoeléctricas, centrales flotantes y motores, se cuenta con disponibilidad de combustibles. pic.twitter.com/biVxhQKAPu

— Ministerio de Energía y Minas de Cuba 🇨🇺 (@EnergiaMinasCub) October 19, 2024

About half of Cuba was plunged into darkness on Thursday evening, followed by the entire island on Friday morning after the plant failed.

The streets of Cuba’s capital, where 2 million people live, were quiet on Saturday, with few cars driving by after a night that was lit by candles and lamps. The impact of the blackout goes beyond lighting, as services like water supply also depend on electricity to run pumps.

The blackout was considered to be Cuba’s worst in two years, after a Category 3 hurricane damaged power installations and it took days for the government to fix them. This year, some homes have spent up to eight hours a day without electricity.

Besides the Antonio Guiteras plant, whose failure on Friday affected the entire national system, Cuba has several others and it wasn’t immediately clear whether they remained functional.

There is no official estimate for when the blackout will end. Even in a country that is used to outages as part of a deepening economic crisis, Friday’s collapse was massive.

The Cuban government has announced emergency measures to slash electricity demand, including suspending school and university classes, shutting down some state-owned workplaces and canceling nonessential services. Officials said that 1.64 gigawatts went offline during peak hours, about half the total demand at the time.

Local authorities said the outage, which started on a small scale Thursday, stemmed from increased demand from small- and medium-sized companies and residential air conditioners. Later, the blackout got worse due to breakdowns in old thermoelectric plants that haven’t been properly maintained and the lack of fuel to operate some facilities.

Consequences of the Blackout

The blackout has far-reaching consequences, including a significant impact on the country’s economy, infrastructure, and daily life.

Economic Impact: The blackout has caused significant economic losses, with many businesses forced to close or operate at reduced capacity.
Infrastructure Damage: The blackout has damaged property and disrupted essential services, including water and sanitation, in many areas.
Daily Life: The blackout has caused inconvenience and discomfort for millions of people, with many forced to go without electricity, water, and other essential services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What caused the power outage in Cuba?
A: The power outage was caused by a combination of factors, including increased demand from small- and medium-sized companies and residential air conditioners, as well as breakdowns in old thermoelectric plants and lack of fuel to operate some facilities.

Q: When will the power be restored?
A: The government has announced that two thermoelectric power plants are back and two more will resume their operations “in the next few hours.” However, there is no official estimate for when the blackout will end.

Q: What measures has the government taken to address the situation?
A: The government has announced emergency measures to slash electricity demand, including suspending school and university classes, shutting down some state-owned workplaces, and canceling nonessential services.

Q: How will the economy be affected?
A: The blackout is expected to have a significant impact on the economy, with many businesses forced to close or operate at reduced capacity. The government is working to mitigate the effects of the blackout and restore electricity services as soon as possible.