₦airaland Forum

Cuba is experiencing a nationwide blackout after its main energy plant failed, knocking out power to its 10 million people.
Its power grid collapsed at around 11:00 (15:00 GMT) on Friday, the energy ministry announced on social media. Grid officials said they did not know how long it would take to restore power.

The island has suffered months of lengthy blackouts, prompting the prime minister to declare an "energy emergency" on Thursday
Friday's total blackout came after the Antonio Guiteras power plant in Matanzas - the largest on the island - went offline.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez said the situation was his "absolute priority".
"There will be no rest until power is restored," he wrote on X.

The head of electricity supply at the energy ministry, Lazara Guerra, was later quoted by AFP news agency as saying the process of restoring power was in its early stages.

There was, she added, "some level of electricity generation" that would be used to start up power plants in several regions of the country.

Earlier on Friday, officials announced that all schools and non-essential activities, including nightclubs, were to close until Monday.

Non-essential workers were urged to stay home to safeguard electricity supply, and non-vital government services were suspended.

Cubans have also been urged to switch off high-consumption appliances such as fridges and ovens during peak hours, according to local media.

"This is crazy," Eloy Fon, an 80-year-old pensioner living in central Havana, told AFP.

"It shows the fragility of our electricity system... We have no reserves, there is nothing to sustain the country, we are living day to day."

Bárbara López, 47, a digital content creator, said she had already "barely been able to work for two days".

"It's the worst I've seen in 47 years," she said. "They've really messed up now... We have no power or mobile data."

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero addressed the public in a televised message on Thursday, blaming deteriorating infrastructure, fuel shortages and rising demand for the electricity failures.

"The fuel shortage is the biggest factor," he said.

The head of the National Electric Union (UNE) Alfredo López Valdés also acknowledged the island had been facing a challenging energy situation, with shortages chiefly to blame.

Extended blackouts - particularly one this widespread - are always a tense time in Cuba.

In part, because the ability to keep the lights on represents a potential public order issue for the Cuban Government.

In July 2021, thousands of protesters spilled into the streets in demonstrations sparked by days-long blackouts in much of the country.

The desperation caused by precious food stuffs going to waste in warm fridges and freezers was exacerbated by citizens going for days with no air-conditioning or ceiling fans in the island's stifling heat.

In many buildings, electric pumps bring water to the taps, so no power also meant no water.

Furthermore, no petrol at the pumps means that people can't work or use their cars to solve basic problems or tend to urgent needs.

The Cuban Government has become increasingly aware that many on the island have lost a degree of fear over speaking out about the many daily problems they face.

Some are even prepared to take to the streets and chant anti-government slogans, if conditions merit it.

In March, Hundreds of people in Cuba's second-largest city, Santiago, staged a rare public protest over chronic power blackouts and food shortages.

tommy589:
You have fought a good fight and have kept the faith.

Your friend,Hugo Chavez is gone.Maybe it's time to end communism and reconcile with US

helinues:
That must be incompetency of President Tinubu reflecting in Cuba

Countries have been having challenges and always deal with it, but in Nigeria, the so called opposition are expecting overnight miracle to solve decades old problems

Shevchenkko:
T pain urchins searching for justification of the failure in Aso rock

Shevchenkko:
T pain urchins searching for justification of the failure in Aso rock

Emu4life:
Sorry to them. This has been our condition in the most populous Black Nation on Earth since 1960s

uniquetechng:
Be sensible for once, even without national grid collapse Nigeria experiences blackout daily, can you say the same for Cuba ?
And did you bother to ask how many years Cuba has gone without experiencing national blackout ?
Nigeria has experienced national blackout due to grid collapse five times in 2024 alone, so think before you putting out your ignorance in full public glare.

helinues:
That must be incompetency of President Tinubu reflecting in Cuba

Countries have been having challenges and always deal with it, but in Nigeria, the so called opposition are expecting overnight miracle to solve decades old problems

uniquetechng:
Be sensible for once, even without national grid collapse Nigeria experiences blackout daily, can you say the same for Cuba ?
And did you bother to ask how many years Cuba has gone without experiencing national blackout ?
Nigeria has experienced national blackout due to grid collapse five times in 2024 alone, so think before you putting out your ignorance in full public glare.

nairalanda1:
You could also say they are searching for justification for the failures of the stick, the President Jonathan and the Obasanjo and yaradua era blackouts

Like I have always said, power supply works when you Nigerians pay market price for power

You don't want to pay market price for power, some of you refuse to pay for power, we need something like 17 trillion naira annually for power to work well, and most of you are in denial about it.

Am sure you would call me agbadorian. Like all the others


Nigerians no dey like tell themselves truth. Especially when it does not favor their side.

nairalanda1:
Cuba has been having rolling power blackouts for decades, son