**Cuba Experiences Island-Wide Blackout Leading to Closure of Schools and Workplaces**
In a recent development in Cuba, a massive outage has left millions without power, prompting emergency measures by the government. The blackout, the largest in at least two years, has resulted in the suspension of classes, closure of state-owned workplaces, and cancellation of non-essential services.
The crisis unfolded late Thursday when 1.64 gigawatts went offline during peak hours in the early evening, representing about half of the total demand at that time. Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero addressed the nation in the early hours of Friday, acknowledging the severity of the situation. He emphasised the need to halt economic activities to prioritize the availability of energy for the population.
Accompanied by Alfredo López, head of the state-owned utility UNE, Marrero highlighted the factors contributing to the outage. These included increased demand from small- and medium-sized companies and residences, as well as issues with ageing thermoelectric plants and fuel shortages.
To address the situation, changes to electricity rates for small- and medium-sized companies are being considered, along with the expected increase in fuel supply from Cuba’s state-owned oil company.
Although power outages are not uncommon in Cuba due to ongoing economic challenges, the widespread impact of this blackout has left residents apprehensive. Many have taken precautions such as closing doors and windows and using candles or lanterns inside their homes.
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Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving situation.