Fuel Shortage Worsens Energy Crisis
Havana experienced extensive blackouts on Wednesday as Cuba’s National Electric System (SEN) continued operating far below national demand amid a severe fuel shortage and continued US sanctions on the Caribbean island.
Footage shows residents navigating darkened streets with flashlights, while avenues were illuminated by passing vehicles. Meanwhile, businesses operated under dim lighting, and makeshift bonfires lit up some streets.
Families Face Severe Disruptions
Residents said the prolonged outages are increasingly disrupting daily life. Many families are enduring power cuts lasting more than 20 hours a day, making basic tasks such as cooking and storing water extremely difficult.
“We are sometimes without power for more than 20 hours,” said affected resident Eva Hernandez. “They only give us an hour and a half, sometimes three hours. […] So you can’t even charge the lamps.”
She added that the lack of refrigeration has also forced many households to buy food on a daily basis to prevent spoilage, placing additional strain on already fragile finances.
Oil Deficit Deepens Hardships
As outages continue, Hernandez said residents are being forced to reorganise their routines around the limited hours of available light.
“The huge oil deficit truly makes it complicated to manage day-to-day life, […] living in a constant rush to do everything during the day,” Hernandez said.
Cuba’s Fuel Reserves Near Exhaustion
For months, Cuba has faced worsening electricity generation deficits and rolling blackouts linked to the deterioration of its aging thermoelectric infrastructure, insufficient maintenance and difficulties importing fuel, which authorities attribute in part to the tightening of US sanctions that have been in place for more than six decades.
Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy told local media that Cuba’s diesel and fuel oil reserves are nearly exhausted, limiting the country’s ability to sustain even minimum levels of electricity generation needed for essential services.
Article by Viory
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