By MILEXSY DURÁN
HAVANA (AP) — Swaths of Cuba remained with out energy on Thursday practically a day after an enormous blackout hit the western a part of the island within the newest outage blamed on a fragile electrical grid and an absence of gas.
Crews labored in a single day to restore a damaged boiler at considered one of Cuba’s largest thermoelectric crops, however officers have warned that it may take three to 4 days for energy to be totally restored.
State media reported that some 444,700 clients in Havana, or 52%, had energy, in addition to 30 hospitals and 10 water provide stations.
However thousands and thousands nonetheless remained with out energy, together with Miguel Leyva, 65, who lives together with his mom and brother, each of whom are unwell.
“I’ve no phrases to explain what I’m going by: the warmth, the mosquitoes and no electrical energy. The meals may spoil,” he mentioned. “I’m conscious of all the issues that exist, however pay attention, it’s been greater than 24 hours now.”
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Individuals cross a avenue throughout a blackout in Havana, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photograph/Ramon Espinosa)
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Individuals cross a avenue throughout a blackout in Havana, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photograph/Ramon Espinosa)
Cuba’s Ministry of Vitality and Mines wrote on X that {the electrical} system is working “in a restricted capability, prioritizing primary companies, primarily well being and water provide.”
State media reported that two energy crops are offline due to an absence of petroleum.
Sonia Vázquez, 61, mentioned the blackout didn’t cease her from promoting espresso to passersby each day, saying she ready it with gasoline at 5 a.m. underneath a chargeable lamp.
“I didn’t sleep final night time. Too many mosquitoes,” mentioned Vázquez, who lives together with her grandson.
In the meantime, 57-year-old cafe proprietor José Ignacio Dorta, mentioned that a few of his frozen meals has spoiled.
“We’ve seemed for tactics to stop additional spoilage. We’re engaged on it. We hope nothing else will spoil,” he mentioned.
Cuba has lengthy struggled with an getting older electrical grid and intermittent gas provides, however the disaster has deepened in current months.
Key oil shipments from Venezuela have been halted after america attacked the South American nation in early January. Then later that month, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he would impose tariffs on any nation that sells or provides oil to Cuba.
Final month, Cuba’s authorities applied austere fuel-saving measures and warned that jet gas wouldn’t be obtainable at 9 airports till mid-March.
Wednesday’s outage is the second to hit western Cuba in three months.
The outage in early December lasted practically 12 hours. Officers mentioned {that a} fault in a transmission line linking two energy crops induced an overload and led to the collapse of the power system’s western sector.
A few of Cuba’s thermoelectric crops have been working for greater than three many years and obtain little upkeep due to excessive prices. U.S. sanctions even have prevented the federal government from shopping for new tools and specialised elements, officers say.
Dánica Coto contributed to this report from San José, Costa Rica.
