Cuba was still facing the paralysis of its electricity system on Saturday the day after a giant blackout which deprived its 10 million inhabitants of power.
“There will be no respite” as long as the service is not “fully recovered”declared President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Friday evening, during a crisis meeting, broadcast by state television. Cuba is going through a “energy emergency”he admitted.
“The system is without electricity throughout the country”after the shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras thermal power plant, in the center-west of the country, announced at midday on state television Lazaro Guerra, general director of electricity at the Ministry of Energy and mines. Mr. Guerra clarified that when the power plant shut down “the system has collapsed”causing a giant breakdown.
As night fell, Havana’s wide avenues were plunged into darkness, except for points of light provided by some hotels, hospitals and a few private restaurants or bars that could run generators.
“We are going through a terrible situation with this cut”testifies on the verge of tears, Betsabe Valdes, 40 years old, who came to get some fresh air on an avenue in the center of Havana to avoid the heat of her apartment.
“We don’t have gas, we don’t have electricity, life is difficult because we have a little girl”she adds, pointing to her one-year-old niece. “Young children and the elderly are those who suffer the most”she continues.
On Thursday, the Cuban president announced that Cuba was in a situation of“energy emergency” faced with the difficulties in purchasing the fuel necessary to power its power stations, due to the strengthening of the embargo that Washington has imposed on the communist island since 1962.
“It is yet another demonstration of all the problems that the blockade is causing us”he insisted Friday evening.
Aberrant, terrible
At the start of the evening, the national electricity company (UNE) indicated that it had generated thanks to “microsystems” annexes a minimum level of current, which should be used to restart thermoelectric power stations and floating generators in several provinces of the country, and which already benefits some 19,000 people across the island.
“C’est aberrant”said Eloy Font, an 80-year-old retiree living in central Havana. “This demonstrates the fragility of our electricity system (…) there is no reserve, there is nothing to keep this country on its feet, we live from day to day”he cursed.
For three months, Cubans have been suffering from power cuts that have become more and more frequent. On Thursday, the national energy deficit, which hovered around 30%, reached 50%, reinforcing the exasperation of the population.
“Two days ago I was barely able to work and now what am I going to do? It’s terrible to live like this, in 47 years I haven’t seen anything worse”laments Barbara Lopez, digital content creator.
Classes were suspended at all levels in the country until Monday, and all entertainment venues were closed.
Obsolete
The first restrictions date back to March, with the government’s increasing difficulties in sourcing fuel and parts needed to operate and repair the country’s aging thermoelectric power plants.
In recent weeks, in several provinces, outages have lasted more than 20 hours a day.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero announced the suspension of all non-essential public services in order to prioritize the supply of electricity to hospitals, businesses and homes.
On the island, electricity is produced from eight dilapidated thermal power plants, sometimes broken down or under maintenance, as well as several floating power plants, which the government rents to Turkish companies, and generators.
Most of this infrastructure requires fuel to operate.
The island is currently experiencing its worst crisis in three decades, with shortages of food and medicine and chronic power cuts.
Power cuts were one of the triggers for the unprecedented anti-government protests of July 11, 2021. In September 2022, the island had already experienced a widespread blackout after the passage of Hurricane Ian which struck the island. west of the island.
Cuba Power outage
