Power Restored Partially After Hours-Long Blackout
Cuba experienced a countrywide blackout on Friday following the failure of one of its largest power plants. Although officials managed to restore a small portion of the power grid by mid-evening, most of the island’s 10 million residents spent the day without electricity. The outage left businesses shuttered, schools closed, and government services suspended as the country struggled with its deteriorating infrastructure and ongoing fuel shortages.
Major Power Plant Failure Shuts Down Grid
The blackout was triggered when the Antonio Guiteras power plant, Cuba’s largest and most efficient, went offline just before midday. The collapse of the plant caused a complete failure of the national electrical grid, plunging the entire country into darkness. In response, the Cuban government closed schools, halted non-essential industries, and sent most state workers home in an attempt to preserve power for residents.
Ongoing Crisis and Uncertain Recovery
As officials scrambled to restore power, they acknowledged that they could not provide a clear timeline for when the grid would be fully operational again. The power crisis also led to the cancellation of recreational and cultural activities, including nightclubs, and forced the closure of schools at all levels through Sunday.
The blackout is the latest in a series of energy crises in Cuba, highlighting the island’s ongoing struggles with infrastructure maintenance and energy shortages, as officials work to stabilize the grid.
