Desitdown News (Huge power outage in Cuba leaves millions in darkness) desitdown news [pZtqfjVOjoC]
Cuba Faces Widespread Power Outage as National Grid Collapses Cuba’s national power grid collapsed again on Friday evening, leaving millions without electricity across the island. The failure occurred around 8:15 PM local time (00:15 GMT), following a breakdown at the Diezmero substation in Havana, which triggered a chain reaction, halting power generation nationwide, according to Union Electrica (UNE), the national electricity operator. By Saturday morning, UNE reported that only a small fraction of the electricity demand was being met, with power generation at a mere 225 MW—less than 10% of the island's total energy needs. Authorities have deployed parallel circuits to supply electricity to critical sectors, such as hospitals, while efforts are underway to restore power across the country. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed the efforts on social media, noting that several provinces had activated parallel circuits, and generator units were being synchronized with the national grid to help mitigate the power shortage. This latest blackout marks the first grid failure of 2025, following a troubling series of nationwide blackouts in late 2024. During those incidents, power outages lasted for several days, significantly affecting daily life. The power grid's fragility is exacerbated by Cuba's ongoing economic crisis, one of the most severe in three decades, compounded by U.S. sanctions and a diminishing supply of subsidized Venezuelan oil. In the wake of the power failure, Havana residents expressed frustration over the ongoing power instability. Abel Bonne, a local resident, told Reuters, "Right now, no one knows when the power will come back on." Meanwhile, Karen Gutierrez, a 32-year-old ice cream seller, shared her despair with AFP, stating, “My God, this is terrible, we’re in for a dark weekend.” Outside the capital, many Cubans have been enduring rolling blackouts that have lasted as long as 20 hours a day in recent weeks. Andres Lopez, a 67-year-old from Holguin in the eastern part of the island, was also disheartened by the latest outage, remarking, “It really bugs me. Let’s see when they get it [the power] back on.” Cuba continues to blame the economic hardships, including the ongoing electricity crisis, on a U.S. trade embargo and related restrictions, which have hindered its access to fuel and essential spare parts. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration imposed stricter sanctions on Cuba, further deepening the strain on the island’s economy. In response to the ongoing energy shortfall, Cuban authorities are accelerating efforts to install at least 55 solar farms, using Chinese technology, by the end of this year. These solar installations are expected to contribute approximately 1,200 MW of power, or around 12% of the national grid's total demand. However, it remains uncertain when the power grid will stabilize fully. As millions of Cubans wait for the electricity to return, the situation highlights the island’s ongoing struggle to overcome its energy challenges amidst economic difficulties. #desitdown #news #Huge #power #outage # Cuba #leaves #millions #in #darkness #national #power #grid #collapsed