In Cuba, a large power plant fails, plunging the island into darkness – again: NPR

Children kick a ball around during a power outage in Havana, Cuba, on Wednesday.

Ramon Espinosa/AP

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Ramon Espinosa/AP

HAVANA – A new, widespread blackout plunged Cuba into darkness on Wednesday after one of the island’s largest power plants failed, leaving millions without power and forcing authorities to suspend classes and work indefinitely.

State power utility Electric Union attributed the incident to the shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric power plant in Matanzas province, east of Havana. The power outage, which occurred shortly after 2 a.m., affected the entire country, the company said on X.

As of Wednesday morning, the gradual restoration of power began in some parts of the country, including Havana.

Cuban Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O later said in a televised address that service would be fully restored by Thursday.

On October 18, the island experienced a significant power outage, which, combined with Hurricane Oscar two days later, resulted in the island being without power for several days.

Weeks later, Hurricane Rafael’s strong winds triggered another system-wide power outage, once again crippling the national energy system.

Cuba’s power grid has been hit by frequent outages in recent months, with more than half of the country experiencing blackouts at peak times. The outages are primarily caused by fuel shortages and aging infrastructure. In many parts of the island, electricity is crucial for cooking and water pumping.

The power outages – caused in part by failures at old thermal power plants – are devastating, impacting families, schools and businesses.

A man cooks soup over an open fire on a sidewalk during a power outage in Havana, Cuba, on Wednesday.

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Cuba gets its electricity from large thermoelectric power plants like Antonio Guiteras and some smaller ones that run on crude oil. While the island produces about half of its own crude oil, it must import the rest, which can be difficult and costly because of U.S. sanctions. In the past, the country has relied on allies such as Venezuela and Russia for cheaper fuel supplies.

Cuba is working on a project to modernize the island’s power grid by using alternative energy sources. The construction of 31 solar energy production centers is underway and is expected to be completed next year.

Cuba’s economic crisis has deepened in recent years, leading to food and fuel shortages, rising inflation and a loss of purchasing power – and forcing thousands to flee, mostly to the United States but also to Spain and other Latin American countries.