Cuba Battles to Rebuild Power Grid Amid Worsening Energy Crisis
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HAVANA, Cuba - A partial collapse of Cuba's electrical grid on Wednesday left millions in the dark, with the capital city of Havana and western provinces facing prolonged blackouts. The crisis, the latest in a series of energy outages, has left the island struggling to meet demand. A main transmission line failed around 5 a.m., but workers were able to restore power to approximately 40% of Havana by midday. The outage, which affected at least four western provinces, highlights the country's ongoing energy crisis. Cuba's grid has been plagued by frequent blackouts, with daily outages extending up to 20 hours or more. Officials warn that a generation shortfall, with demand exceeding supply by two-thirds, means regular blackouts will continue. The island's oil-fired power plants, already struggling to meet demand, have been further weakened by dwindling oil imports from key allies. The crisis has been exacerbated by U.S. sanctions and a deep economic crisis, forcing the government to rely on limited fuel supplies. As the situation worsens, the Cuban government faces a daunting task in rebuilding its power grid and ensuring a stable energy supply for its citizens.
