The failure marks at least the sixth widespread blackout on the island this year, amid a fuel crisis and deteriorating energy infrastructure.
Havana, Cuba – Cuba's national power grid suffered a total
collapse on Friday, leaving nearly 9 million people without electricity,
marking at least the sixth widespread blackout on the island this year.
The latest failure comes amid a prolonged crisis in Cuba's
energy system, marked by the deterioration of thermoelectric plants, a lack of
maintenance, and a shortage of the fuel needed to keep generating units
running.
The island's electrical infrastructure has faced aging and
limited generation capacity for years, a situation that has led to frequent
service interruptions and prolonged blackouts in various regions of the
country.
The collapse of the national grid once again highlights the
vulnerability of the Cuban electrical system, which relies heavily on aging
thermoelectric plants that struggle to operate reliably. The lack of
electricity affects not only homes, but also services, businesses,
transportation, and other essential activities, while authorities work to
gradually restore the supply.
The energy crisis has become one of the main daily problems
for the Cuban population, particularly due to the frequency and duration of the
blackouts experienced in recent months.