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Cuban Power Grid Faces Collapse as Hurricane Oscar Approaches

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Cuba is grappling with widespread power outages as Hurricane Oscar hits the eastern region, compounding the challenges faced by millions of residents who have already endured days without electricity. The latest blackout marks the fourth collapse of the nation’s electric grid since Friday, disrupting daily life and prompting protests.

Oscar made landfall near Baracoa on Sunday afternoon as a Category 1 hurricane, bringing sustained winds of 80 mph. By nighttime, it weakened to a tropical storm, moving west-southwest at 6 mph. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned of significant rainfall, predicting 6 to 12 inches across eastern Cuba and isolated amounts reaching 18 inches.

In Havana, where more than 216,000 residents had power restored earlier in the day, darkness fell again, leaving many outdoors in the sweltering heat. Children are opting to sleep outside, while schools have been closed until Thursday due to the conditions. With the heat becoming unbearable indoors, people gathered in the streets, some playing dominoes to pass the time.

Protests erupted as frustrations mounted over the prolonged blackout, with demonstrators banging pots and pans. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the protests as acts of vandalism, asserting the government would not tolerate disruptions to public order. The energy crisis began last Friday when a major power plant failed, plunging the 10 million-strong nation into darkness and causing hardships in accessing food and water.

As residents queued for bread in the capital, many expressed anger over the ongoing power issues and questioned the absence of support from traditional allies like Venezuela and Russia, who have historically provided oil to sustain the island’s energy needs.

Despite the challenges, tourists continued to navigate Havana’s streets, although many hotels struggled due to fuel shortages for their generators. José Martí International Airport was reported to be operating on emergency power, with significant disruptions to services.

In response to the crisis, the Cuban government has canceled classes for students and advised non-essential workers to remain at home. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz acknowledged the severity of the situation, noting that economic activities had been curtailed to prioritize power generation for the populace.

Health Minister José Angel Portal Miranda reassured that medical facilities were functioning on generators, with health workers continuing to deliver essential services despite the overwhelming challenges posed by the dual crises of Hurricane Oscar and the energy crisis.

Cuba Faces Second Nationwide Blackout Amid Worsening Energy Crisis

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Cuba was plunged into a second nationwide blackout on Saturday morning, exacerbating the country’s growing energy crisis. The Cuba Electrical Union announced the outage at 6:15 a.m., stating on its official Telegram channel that efforts were underway to restore power. This followed initial reports that power was being gradually reconnected across the island, though there were no specific numbers provided on how many homes or areas had regained electricity.

Many Cubans reported brief moments of restored power before being plunged back into darkness. The blackouts have created a deeper strain on the nation, leaving millions without essential services such as running water and refrigeration, causing perishable goods to spoil.

Cuba’s aging electrical grid has suffered repeated collapses in recent days, triggering a nationwide blackout earlier in the week. Cuban officials have pointed to a combination of factors, including intensified U.S. sanctions, recent hurricanes, and the deteriorating infrastructure, as contributing causes to the crisis.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz addressed the nation in a televised broadcast that was delayed due to technical problems. He acknowledged the gravity of the situation, explaining that the government had halted much of the country’s limited production to divert energy to the population. “We have been paralyzing economic activity to generate [power] for the population,” Marrero Cruz stated.

Health Minister José Angel Portal Miranda assured citizens that health facilities were running on backup generators, and that healthcare workers were continuing to provide vital services despite the outages.

In Havana, the blackout has left the streets without traffic lights, forcing motorists to navigate in the absence of proper signals. Police officers have taken up the task of directing traffic at key intersections. While some homes and businesses rely on generators to cope with the power outages, the majority of Cubans cannot afford such a luxury.

To further conserve energy, the government has canceled school classes through the weekend, shut down nightclubs and recreational facilities, and limited work attendance to essential personnel. These measures were detailed on the state-run news website Cubadebate as part of an effort to manage the ongoing energy crisis.