Cuba is grappling with a severe power crisis as widespread blackouts persist, affecting millions of residents and raising significant concerns about the reliability of its electrical grid. On March 15, a massive outage left around 10 million people in darkness after a failure at the Diezmero substation in Havana triggered a national grid collapse. By the following morning, the Electric Union (UNE) reported that only a mere 225 MW of electricity was being generated, amounting to less than 10% of total demand, enough only for essential services like hospitals and water supply.

Residents in Havana and several provinces, including Guantanamo and Santiago de Cuba, reported severe disruptions, with some experiencing rolling blackouts lasting up to 20 hours a day. Havanas streets were largely abandoned at night, illuminated only by the light of generators in hotels. The Cuban government acknowledged that nearly 42% of the national energy system was offline due to an unprecedented demand shortage.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced that measures were being taken to restore power, including the synchronization of generator units with the national grid. In the aftermath of these outages, the country has unveiled plans to install numerous photovoltaic solar parks, with the objective of generating approximately 1,200 MW, which would account for around 12% of national energy needs. However, these initiatives come as Cuba continues to deal with an economic crisis exacerbated by longstanding U.S. sanctions, which limit access to vital resources.

Economic conditions have deteriorated sharply, with food, medicine, and fuel becoming increasingly scarce. Many Cubans, used to enduring severe shortages, are now facing even graver challenges due to the perpetual instability of the national power supply. The government has indicated that restoring the electric system is a top priority, as highlighted by the ongoing blackout that prompted discussions about potential long-term solutions to the persistent energy crisis. As Cuba endeavors to overcome these obstacles, residents remain hopeful but uncertain about when stable electricity will return, saying, “Right now, no one knows when the power will come back on,” according to local inquiries.

For further details, read more at India Times, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.