Cuba largely without power after power plant failure

Much of Cuba is without power. According to the Cuban Ministry of Energy, the power grid failed after one of the largest power stations stopped working. Cuban President Díaz-Canel says the government “will not rest until it is fixed.”

By mid-afternoon, power had been restored to some hospitals in the capital, Havana, but millions of Cubans were still in the dark.

Earlier in the day, the government had already announced extensive measures in a last ditch effort to maintain the power grid. All schools and non-essential businesses must remain closed until Monday, the government decided. After the power plant failed at 11am (local time), the population was still without power.

The country has been struggling with an energy crisis for years, which Cuban officials say has reached a new low due to a combination of circumstances. Authorities point to, among other things, the American sanctions and the hurricanes that passed through the island recently.

In addition, the electrical grid is very old fashioned. In the past few days, millions of Cubans have been in the dark for several hours because parts of the power grid have failed.

Cuba relies heavily on oil from Russia, Venezuela and Mexico for fuel. These countries had already significantly reduced the delivery of oil to Cuba in recent years for various reasons. Severe weather has almost stopped oil tankers from reaching the island in recent weeks.

Cuban authorities say that the situation will improve in the coming days because favorable weather will allow ships to resume fuel deliveries to the island.