Cuba Suffers Another Nationwide Power Failure
HAVANA TIMES – The island is in darkness again. Around 8:15 p.m. on March 14, 2025, a failure at the Diezmero substation caused a significant generation loss in the western part of the country, leading to the collapse of the National Power Grid, said the Ministry of Energy and Mines.
According to the forecast of the Electric Union (UNE) for March 14, during peak hours, 42% of the country’s total service would be interrupted. Seven thermoelectric units (out of the 16 in existence) were out of service due to failures and maintenance, while 73 generator groups were unable to operate due to a lack of fuel.
Vicente de la O Levy, Minister of Energy and Mines, wrote on his social network at 11:15 p.m. that micro-systems were already functioning in ten provinces.
This is the fourth time in five months that the island has been left in total darkness. In recent years, however, the electrical situation has become critical, with routine blackouts lasting over 20 hours a day in many localities.
On October 18, 2024, the first recent national disconnection occurred. At that time, authorities stated that the “Antonio Guiteras” Thermoelectric Power Plant (CTE) suffered an “unexpected shutdown” that caused the collapse. Restoring the system took four days.
On November 6, 2024, while Hurricane Rafael was making landfall in Cuba, the national power grid was disconnected again. A month later, on December 4, the “Antonio Guiteras” plant caused another collapse due to an “automatic system failure.” That time, Cubans expressed their frustration through pot-banging protests and public demonstrations.
Presient Miguel Diaz-Canel continues to bet on the island’s electrical salvation coming from 1,000 MW of solar panel energy in 2025. So far, only two photovoltaic parks of 21.8 MW each have been installed. Canel assured that by March 2025, seven more would be inaugurated, a goal that remains to be seen.
First published in Spanish by El Toque and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.
To the commentator above, nothing will happen…. If Cubans were able to fix this situation themselves, they would of done it already. The very sad reality is that for whatever reason, they’re just incapable of having a functional society, although having a deranged leadership doesn’t help. The human capital is gone, Cuba is 100% entirely dependent on outsiders to get fed, or get anything done really. How useless must you be not to be able to grow wheat? Humans across the world were growing wheat 500 years ago, and yet Cuba 21st century is still unable too. That’s the reality of things. Once neoliberalism stops being their sugar daddy, they cease to exist. The fact that the US has just removed USAID to subsidize third-world food consumption means many countries will start starving in the foreseeable future. A lot of flour and some food condiments were grown and manufactured in Canada/US, paid by the US government, and exported to the leadership (puppets) of third-world countries, and given to the people without any thought on their part (the people) on where the food actually came from. Sad reality of human nature when you think about it. Only certain countries and ethnicities can function properly it seems, most countries find themselves in permanent chaos unless given help, whether it be technology or food. Total humiliation of Cubans for the world to see.
How much do the people in Cuba need to suffer before major economic reform happens in Cuba. Look at the power systems in Europe Canada Mexico while not perfect it better than the systems in Cuba or the United States in my opinion. People are are telling me both in las tunas and gibara that things are not safe and what chicken there is may spoil
Gasoline this morning is 1100 pesos per liter if available for smaller generators. A friend of mine bought 10 liters of gasoline with 9000 pesos to keep a supply ahead enough fuel for 20 hours of generator operation or 3 days using 40 minutes on 3 hours off . This the same wage that a nurse gets in 5 weeks or the cost of 2 bottles of medicine in Mexico I think major things need to happen in Cuba.