The Cuban Electric Union (UNE), under the Ministry of Energy and Mines, reported on 7/9 that a 220 kV power line was disconnected in eastern Cuba, causing power outages in 5 provinces: Las Tunas, Granma, Holguin, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantanamo.
"The cause of the incident is being investigated and the system restoration process is underway," UNE announced on X.
In Santiago de Cuba, the country's second-largest city with over 1 million residents, 60-year-old Javier Garcia said his family wasn't immediately aware of the outage. "We had a power cut earlier, so we only learned about this incident through others around us," Garcia said.
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Pedestrians walk on a street in Havana, Cuba, during a power outage in October 2024. Photo: Reuters |
Pedestrians walk on a street in Havana, Cuba, during a power outage in October 2024. Photo: Reuters
In Holguin province, Maritza Saldivar said her home had only had electricity for about 3 hours during the day and 3 hours at night for several days.
"During those 3 hours, I have to rush to do everything from cooking to using appliances. Without those 3 hours, nothing can be done without electricity," Saldivar said, adding that her family also lacks gas and has to buy coal for cooking at a very high price.
Cuba's electricity supply experienced severe shortages last week. On 8/9, the power supply was 1,930 MW, while the demand was 3,750 MW, resulting in a shortfall of 1,960 MW during the evening peak.
Since October of last year, Cuba has experienced 4 widespread blackouts, some lasting several days, as the country's thermoelectric plants deteriorate and often lack fuel for generators due to the prolonged US embargo. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has acknowledged that frequent power outages are one of the biggest challenges facing the government.
Twenty-eight solar farms supported by China have been built, but they haven't yet helped Cuba mitigate the power outage situation. This summer, power cuts have been prolonged across the country, even in the capital, Havana, where some areas have endured outages of over 10 hours per day.
Ngoc Anh (AFP)
