Cuba Faces Nationwide Blackout Amid Power Crisis

Cuba experienced a significant power outage early Wednesday due to a failure at the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant, the country's largest electricity producer, which caused a nationwide blackout affecting over 10 million residents. This incident marks the third major grid collapse in recent months, underscoring the deepening energy crisis exacerbated by aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and the impact of recent hurricanes. Energy Minister Vicente de la O'Levy stated that restoration efforts are underway, prioritizing hospitals and water services, with hopes of partial recovery by Thursday. Witnesses reported extensive outages in Havana, with only government buildings and hotels showing sporadic light. The situation is compounded by dwindling fuel imports from traditional allies like Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico, which has hampered the operation of Cuba's outdated oil-fired plants. President Miguel Diaz-Canel attributed the ongoing energy challenges partly to the decades-long U.S. embargo, which has restricted essential supplies and replacement parts.