Cuba Nationwide Blackout Hits Millions After Plant Failure

A massive power outage struck much of Cuba on Wednesday, leaving millions without electricity after a critical boiler failure at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant in Matanzas province triggered a nationwide grid collapse. The blackout affected areas from Camagüey in the center-east to Pinar del Río in the west, including the capital of Havana, and persisted into Thursday with partial restoration efforts underway.

Cuban energy officials reported that the Antonio Guiteras plant, one of the island's largest power generators, shut down unexpectedly at 12:41 p.m. local time, causing a cascading disconnection across the National Electrical System. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero stated on social media that the plant's sudden exit from the grid pulled down the entire system. The Cuban Electrical Union immediately activated recovery protocols, focusing on essential services such as hospitals and water supply stations.

Repair crews worked overnight to fix the broken boiler, a process described by engineer Felix Estrada Rodríguez of the Cuban Electrical Union as slow and requiring careful safety measures in a confined, high-temperature space. Officials indicated that full...