Blackout in Cuba: The entire island is without power due to a failure
image Source, getty images
- Author, draft
- Author title, bbc news world
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The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINUM) of Havana said that this Friday Cuba had to completely shut down its electricity system.
The service failure of the country’s most important power plant left nearly 10 million of its residents without electricity.
“After the unexpected departure of CTE Antonio Guitars, there was this morning at 11 o’clock Complete disconnection of the national electroenergy system“, Minam published on the social network X.
Cuban government announced Closing of schools and non-essential industries As part of an energy emergency plan.
Without specifying when the connection might return, the ministry assured that Union Electrica, the state company responsible, “is working on its restoration”.
President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canelindicated that his government was prioritizing “attention and resolution to this energy contingency” and was working to restore power to the island.
image Source, getty images
total crisis
The widespread blackout follows months of frequent power outages across Cuba.
The Caribbean country is facing a serious energy crisis, among other problems fuel shortage Which is used to keep power plants running.
In addition, seven thermoelectric plants are old and in a precarious condition.
“In recent times we have spent more hours without electricity than with electricity. People can’t work or live their normal lives,” a woman living in a rural area of Cuba’s Matanzas province told BBC Mundo.
image Source, getty images
The mass blackout came just a day after Prime Minister Manuel Marrero held a special appearance to talk about the crisis, which he described as “National Emergency”,
Marrero announced a number of measures to deal with the situation, including halting all non-essential state labor activities, prioritizing hospitals and food production centers.
image Source, reuters
a limit state
On Thursday, 51% of the country remained without electricity and electrical union. I expected 49% this FridayBut ultimately the blackout affected almost 100%.
The electricity director of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Lázaro Guerra, announced in state media that an investigation was being conducted into the causes of the closure of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, which was the cause of the total collapse.
“At this time, each thermoelectric unit is being reviewed for restoration,” he said, according to the state portal CubeDebate.
He assured that the restoration process has already begun at one of the country’s natural gas plants, although the most important plants run on oil.
“There is no specific time for full restoration, but work is being done to reconnect the power system as soon as possible,” he said.
image Source, reuters
Blackouts have become more common since the end of the pandemic in Cuba, which is going through a very severe economic crisis. shortage of almost all products Inability to pay off their foreign debts -including medicines and food- and to continue receiving loans.
Blackouts and shortages of almost everything have been one of the causes of social discontent present in Cuban society, which was reflected in the historic protests of July 11, 2021, which began in 1959 after Fidel Castro took power and established a communist system. This is the biggest protest since then. Country.
Many Cubans also compare the current situation to the particular period of extreme deprivation that Cuba went through in the 1990s after the collapse of its main patron, the Soviet Union.
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