Millions of Cubans Left In the Dark As Island Electric Grid Collapses Yet Again

A nationwide blackout took place in Cuba early Wednesday after a failure at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the country's largest power station. The Ministry of Energy and Mines blamed the outage on an automatic failure that disconnected the National Electric System and assured that efforts are underway to restore power, though past outages suggest the process could take days.

Wednesday's episode marks the third island-wide blackout in less than two months, underscoring the severe degradation of Cuba's energy infrastructure. On Tuesday, just hours before the latest outage, the country experienced its highest rate of electricity shortfall this year, with half of the population (52%) affected by service interruptions, as El Debate reports.

The Antonio Guiteras plant, located in Matanzas, has been central to Cuba's recurring energy crises. Failures at this facility previously led to nationwide blackouts in October and November, both requiring extensive repair efforts to stabilize power supply. The increasing frequency of outages highlights systemic issues, including obsolete infrastructure and reduced fuel imports from key allies like Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico.

Furthermore, the outage deals a new blow to Cuba's economy, which contracted 1.9% in 2023. Limited electricity has disrupted agricultural and industrial production, transportation, and tourism. Minister of Economy Joaquín Alonso Vázquez acknowledged that the lack of stable energy and fuel supply remains a significant barrier to economic recovery:

"The economic development of a country depends largely on energy, and we have experienced electrical disruptions throughout the year. Additionally, we have not had a stable fuel supply, which has also impacted key sectors"

A recent report from the think tank Cuba Siglo 21 painted a grim picture of the tourism sector in the island, an industry that has been the pride of its economy, driving growth and opportunity. In the first ten months of 2024, Cuba welcomed just over 1.7 million tourists—a sharp 48% drop from the same period in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social unrest has also been on the rise, fueled by shortages of basic goods and services and blackouts have become a flashpoint for public frustration, triggering protests later suppressed by authorities.