Cuba's Power Struggle: A Crisis in the Caribbean

Cuba is facing a severe electricity crisis, with the national grid unable to meet peak demand, leaving millions in darkness. The government is prioritizing critical facilities, but widespread power outages have led to protests. The situation is worsened by dwindling fuel imports and U.S. sanctions.

On Wednesday, Cuba announced that it could only provide enough electricity to satisfy about one-sixth of peak demand after the national grid collapsed, plunging millions into darkness.

The National Electric Union reported it was generating 533 MW by evening, a mere fraction of the normal need, leaving most Cubans without power as night descended. The government said its focus was restoring electricity to hospitals and water facilities. Schools and non-essential services have been suspended indefinitely.

With lights returning to parts of Havana late Wednesday, over 260,000 residents saw power restored amid ongoing nationwide blackouts. Cuba's faltering power grid, stressed by fuel shortages and an economic downturn, has repeatedly collapsed this year due to dwindling oil imports and natural disasters.

(With inputs from agencies.)