Havana: Cuba has managed to reconnect most parts of the country to its national electricity grid after a nationwide power collapse left millions without power. However, the return of the grid has not brought normal life back to the island, as severe fuel shortages and problems at ageing power plants continue to cause long power cuts.
The electricity system collapsed on July 6, cutting power to most of Cuba and affecting around 10 million people. The failure brought daily activities to a halt and created fresh problems for families already struggling with shortages of food, medicine, fuel and other basic needs.
Authorities began the difficult process of restoring electricity soon after the collapse. Hospitals, food production centres, water pumping facilities and other essential services were given priority. Electricity was slowly returned to different parts of the country as engineers worked to reconnect power plants and regional networks.
Cuban officials later said the national electricity system had been reconnected across much of the island, from Pinar del Río in the west to Holguín in the east. Santiago de Cuba and some eastern areas initially remained outside the main connected system as restoration work continued.
Even in areas where the grid has returned, many homes are still facing long hours without electricity. The country does not have enough available power generation to meet normal demand. This means authorities have to continue planned and unplanned power cuts to prevent the weak electricity system from collapsing again.
The latest crisis has once again exposed the serious condition of Cuba’s energy system. Many of the country’s power plants are several decades old and frequently suffer technical problems. Repairs have become increasingly difficult because of a lack of spare parts, investment and fuel.
The fuel shortage is one of the biggest problems facing the country. Cuba depends heavily on imported fuel to operate its power stations and support transport and industry. Reduced supplies have made it difficult for the government to keep enough generating units operating at the same time.
The impact on ordinary people has been severe. In Havana and other cities, residents have struggled to keep food fresh during long power cuts. The loss of electricity has also affected water supplies in some areas because pumping systems need power to operate.
The situation has become even more difficult because of hot weather. Without electricity, families cannot use fans or air conditioning systems. Mobile phones and other communication devices are also difficult to charge during long outages, leaving some people struggling to communicate with family members.
Small businesses have also suffered. Restaurants and food sellers face the risk of losing products when refrigerators and freezers stop working. Other businesses cannot operate equipment or serve customers normally. For a country already dealing with a serious economic crisis, repeated power failures are adding another layer of hardship.
The latest nationwide blackout was the third major grid collapse in about six months. Cuba has also experienced several major electricity failures in recent years. These repeated incidents have increased concerns about the ability of the country's ageing power system to provide reliable electricity.
The Cuban government has blamed economic restrictions and external pressure for making it harder to buy fuel, spare parts and equipment needed for the electricity sector. Officials say the restrictions have limited the country's ability to maintain and modernise its power system.
Critics, however, say years of poor management and insufficient investment have also played a major role in the crisis. They argue that the electricity system has been allowed to deteriorate for too long and that temporary repairs are no longer enough to solve the problem.
For many Cubans, the restoration of the national grid offers only limited relief. Being connected to the grid does not guarantee continuous electricity when the country cannot generate enough power to meet demand.
The government now faces the difficult task of keeping the electricity system stable while dealing with fuel shortages and unreliable generating units. Engineers will continue working to maintain the network, but the deeper energy problems cannot be solved quickly.
For families across the island, the main concern is whether electricity will remain available and for how many hours each day. The national grid may be operating again, but Cuba's wider power crisis continues, leaving millions of people uncertain about when reliable electricity will finally return.