Complete power outage hits Cuba

The nationwide blackout was triggered by the failure of a major power plant

Cuba was hit by a mass blackout on Friday, with the entire island plunged into darkness after one of its power plants suffered what was described as a “failure.”

The “failure” of the Antonio Guiteras Power Plant triggered “the total disconnection of the National Electrical System,” the Cuban Energy Ministry said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The country’s president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, said getting the grid back online was an “absolute priority” for the authorities and that “there won’t be any rest” until power is restored.

Multiple videos and photos circulating online show life on the island grinding to a halt, with the blackout affecting public institutions and businesses alike.

The out-of-control power outages started across the country on Thursday evening, with Prime Minister Manuel Marrero then addressing the situation in a televised speech. The broadcast itself ran into “technical troubles” and went online later than scheduled.

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In his address, Marrero largely blamed the energy crisis on the “intensification of the economic war and the financial and energy persecution by the United States.” The restrictions have hindered fuel imports and disrupted the flow of other resources to keep the electrical industry functional.

The country has long endured energy-supply troubles, with rolling blackouts occurring across the island for months already. The problems have been caused by aged energy infrastructure and a dwindling external supply of fuel.

A fire in 2022 at the Matanzas oil storage facility also greatly contributed to the island’s energy crisis. The five-day-long blaze was triggered by an explosion sparked by a lightning strike and resulting in the destruction of some 40% of the country’s main oil storage facility.