Cuba in the dark: Another nationwide power failure brings chaos!

Cuba in the dark: Another nationwide power failure brings chaos!

Havanna, Kuba - A huge power failure has again wrapped in the dark. Millions of people have been without electricity since Friday evening, which leads to massive restrictions in everyday life. According to the state provider UNE, only about 1,500 megawatts are available again, which corresponds to less than half of the normal electricity requirement at peak times. This breakdown was triggered by a problem at a substation and is the fourth nationwide blackout within five months on the island, which counts around ten million inhabitants, as

The outdated infrastructure of Cuba is a constant problem that often leads to such disasters. In the capital Havana, only 19 percent of the connections are currently supplied with electricity. The lack of stable electricity is a great danger to vital facilities such as hospitals, which are often dependent on their own generators. Many residents are forced to charge their cell phones on the street when they find a power connection and they fight to keep food from ruin by looking for ice cream, like n-tv.de reported.

government and emergency measures

The Cuban government attributes the continued power outages to the US trade embargo in the United States, which has more than 60 years, which complicates the oil deliveries from abroad. Emergency systems have been activated in various provinces, but many citizens still have to live in the dark. Currently only around 200 megawatts are generated, while normal electricity needs in Cuba are around 3,000 megawatts at peak times. In view of the recurring blackouts, the living situation is extremely tense for many people, and you have to regularly expect hours of power outages.