Cuba gradually restores electricity supply after network failures

Havana. The operator of the Cuban electrical grid reported on Monday that it had restored electricity supply in some areas of Havana, after the fourth major failure of the network in 48 hours, as the tropical storm Oscar hit the eastern end of the island.

Strong winds and torrential rains uprooted downed trees and power lines in some places, complicating recovery efforts.

Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy said technicians were working carefully to avoid another electrical collapse given the “complex” circumstances.

“The least we want is for the system to crash due to a breakdown in one line,” said De la O Levy.

Cuban energy authorities said earlier that they were supplying about 700 megawatts, or a quarter of a normal day’s demand, to the grid as of mid-morning. And they added that they had restored electricity supply to 56% of Havana at noon.

Electricity had also been restored in some peripheral provinces of the largest Caribbean island.

Cuba’s communist government closed schools and non-essential industries until Wednesday, while work continued.

Cuba’s national electrical grid collapsed for the first time on Friday, before the arrival of Oscarafter the closure of the largest power plant on the island, which left 10 million people without electricity.

Since then, the network has completely or partially failed three times, underscoring the precarious state of the country’s infrastructure and putting many Cubans in suspense, who are already suffering from serious shortages of food, fuel and medicine.

Havana remained calm during the night, with the entire city shut down. But a witness of Reuters saw several protests scattered in outlying neighborhoods, as well as residents banging pots and pans in frustration over blackouts and food and water shortages.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel addressed the nation on national television late Sunday, telling Cubans to express their grievances with discipline and civility.

“We are not going to accept or allow anyone to act with vandalism, much less disturb the tranquility of our people,” said Díaz-Canel.

For months, Cubans have endured prolonged blackouts of between 10 and 20 hours a day in much of the country, which spoil valuable food reserves and complicate access to fuel and water.

The government and independent experts say the power grid, long on the brink of collapse, has reached a critical point as aging infrastructure deteriorates and fuel becomes scarce.

Cuba blames the U.S. trade embargo as well as sanctions instituted by former President Donald Trump for difficulties in acquiring fuel and spare parts to operate and maintain its oil-fired plants.

The United States has denied any role in the network failures. Russia, Mexico and Venezuela, allies of Cuba, have cut exports to the island in recent months.