About a year ago‚ Cuba experienced a series of power grid failures that left millions of its citizens without electricity. The islands largest power plant shut down‚ causing the national grid to crash multiple times over a few days period.
Authorities efforts to fix the problem were hindered by various factors. The government tried to restore power‚ but their attempts were unsuccessful due to infrastructure issues fuel shortages and increasing energy demand. As a result non-essential state workers were sent home‚ and schools were closed to save fuel for power generation.
The power outages had a significant impact on daily life. Internet traffic dropped sharply‚ making it hard for people to stay connected or charge their devices. Small protests broke out in different parts of Havana‚ as residents grew frustrated with the situation.
Cubaʼs government pointed to several reasons for the ongoing blackouts:
- Deteriorating infrastructure
- Lack of fuel
- Rising energy demand
- U.S trade embargo
- Sanctions implemented during Trumps presidency
The U.S. denied any involvement in the grid failures. However‚ Cuba maintained that sanctions made it difficult to acquire fuel and spare parts needed to operate and maintain its oil-fired plants.
These power outages were not isolated incidents. In the weeks leading up to the grid failures‚ Cuba had been experiencing worsening blackouts lasting between 10 to 20 hours a day across much of the island. This ongoing issue highlighted the need for significant improvements in Cubaʼs energy infrastructure and supply chain