What's happened
A widespread blackout affected western Cuba on December 3, caused by transmission line failure amid ongoing infrastructure issues and storm damage. Power is being restored gradually, but outages persist across the island, impacting water and business sectors. The crisis highlights Cuba's aging energy system and economic struggles.
What's behind the headline?
The blackout underscores Cuba's fragile energy infrastructure, which is increasingly unable to meet demand amid aging facilities and external pressures. The failure of a transmission line, as reported by officials, reveals systemic vulnerabilities. The reliance on fossil fuels from Venezuela and other allies, combined with declining imports due to geopolitical tensions, makes Cuba's power grid highly susceptible to disruptions. Hurricanes like Melissa exacerbate these issues, damaging infrastructure and delaying recovery efforts. The government's attribution of outages to both natural disasters and the US embargo highlights the complex interplay of internal and external factors. Moving forward, Cuba's push toward renewable energy, including solar farms, is a positive step, but the current crisis illustrates the urgent need for comprehensive modernization. The ongoing outages threaten economic stability and public well-being, and without significant investment, similar failures will persist, likely worsening during storm seasons.
What the papers say
Al Jazeera reports that the outage began around 5am local time, affecting from Pinar del Rio to Mayabeque, with restoration efforts underway. AP News highlights that the failure was caused by a transmission line connecting major plants, with power gradually returning. The Independent echoes these points, emphasizing the impact on water and business sectors amid Cuba’s economic crisis, worsened by fuel shortages and hurricanes. Reuters notes that the grid has collapsed multiple times since last year, with blackouts extending over 20 hours in some areas, driven by fuel shortages and damaged infrastructure, compounded by declining imports from Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico. All sources agree that Cuba’s aging, fossil-fuel-dependent grid, combined with external sanctions and storm damage, is the root cause of the ongoing crisis.
How we got here
Cuba's electrical grid is outdated, relying heavily on fossil fuels and infrastructure built during the Cold War. Frequent outages have been worsened by hurricanes and fuel shortages, compounded by US sanctions that restrict fuel imports. Recent storms and declining supplies from allies have further strained the system, leading to repeated blackouts and economic hardship.
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Common question
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Recent headlines reveal significant economic and political upheavals in Iran and Cuba. Iran's currency has hit record lows amid ongoing sanctions, while Cuba faces widespread power outages caused by aging infrastructure and fuel shortages. These crises raise questions about regional stability, economic impacts, and future prospects. Below, we explore the key issues behind these headlines and what they mean for the affected countries and the broader region.
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Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is a country comprising the island of Cuba as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean where the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean meet.
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The Havana is the capital city, largest city, province, major port, and leading commercial center of Cuba. The city has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of 781.58 km² – making it the largest city by area, the most populous