Cuba hit with another power outage
· Toronto Sun
An island-wide power outage struck Cuba on Monday as the communist country’s crumbling electricity grid collapsed, leaving some 11 million people without power.
Cuba’s national electric utility, Union Electrica, said on its website that service was “affected by a capacity deficit for 24 hours” on Sunday, and the “disruption continued into the early hours of this morning.”
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In a post on X Monday afternoon, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said no damage was reported to the units that were operating at the time, adding that crews are working to restore power.
It was the third major blackout in Cuba over the past four months. A power outage in western parts of the island over a week ago plunged millions in the dark. Another major blackout also affected western Cuba in early December.
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U.S. oil blockade adds to Cuba’s energy woes
Cuba’s aging grid has drastically eroded in recent years, leading to an increase in daily outages and island-wide blackouts. But the government also has blamed its woes on a U.S. energy blockade after President Donald Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The Trump administration is demanding that Cuba release political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalization in return for a lifting of sanctions.
Critical oil shipments from Venezuela were halted after the U.S. attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its then-president, Nicolas Maduro.
While Cuba produces 40% of its petroleum and has been generating its own power, it hasn’t been sufficient to meet demand as its electric grid continues to crumble.
Global Affairs Canada has warned Canadians in an advisory to avoid non-essential travel to the island nation “due to worsening shortages of fuel, electricity, and basic necessities including food, water, and medicine,” which it said can also affect services at resorts.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said “taking Cuba” would be a “big honour,” The Hill reported .
“I think I can do anything I want with it,” he added.
— with files from The Associated Press