Power outage hits western Cuba after transmission line failure, affecting millions

(Patria) - A power outage hit Havana and the rest of the western half of Cuba on Wednesday, leaving millions without electricity on the island that struggles with chronic outages blamed on the crumbling electrical grid, the AP reported.

Lázaro Guerra, general director of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, said the massive outage was caused by a failure in a transmission line connecting two major power plants.
The electrical grid was back up and running by Wednesday afternoon, but the government warned that restoring electricity would not be immediate and that production deficits remain.

The nearly 12-hour blackout caused disruptions in the capital and beyond.

In Havana, dozens of police officers tried to direct traffic, while many students were sent home from schools. Small businesses that have generators continued to sell, especially food. Some areas had intermittent internet service, leading many residents to wonder what had happened.

The outage followed two days of rolling blackouts during peak hours across the island.

A total power outage hit Cuba in September, with officials blaming outdated infrastructure and a lack of fuel at power plants. Ongoing blackouts also affect water services and impact the island’s fragile business sector.

Cuba is going through a severe economic crisis that deepened during the coronavirus pandemic, which paralyzed the key tourism sector, and has been exacerbated by increased U.S. sanctions and a failed internal financial reform to unify the currency.
Meanwhile, thermoelectric power plants have been operating for more than thirty years and have received little maintenance, which is expensive for Cuban budgets. Lack of maintenance, along with a shortage of fuel due to lack of funds or because ships are targeted by U.S. sanctions, jeopardizes the country's electricity production.

The government has implemented a solar park program with Chinese and Vietnamese support, but it is still in its early stages.

The eastern half of Cuba is also struggling with power outages after Hurricane Melissa hit the region in late October.

Although no deaths were reported on the island, thousands of Cubans in the eastern region remained without electricity, water, or adequate shelter for nearly a month after the storm hit the area.