Cuba Faces Unprecedented Energy Crisis Amid Cyclonic Alarm

The first secretaries of the Party and the governors of the eastern provinces provided a detailed explanation of the measures implemented. Oct 20, 2024 Photo: @PresidenciaCuba

October 20, 2024 Hour: 10:20 pm

The president assured that all professional and operational potential is mobilized to address this crisis and restore stability to Cuba’s electrical system.

The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, declared during the closing of the National Defense Council meeting that the country is facing an exceptional situation due to two critical events: the energy emergency and the cyclonic alarm phase in the eastern provinces.

Díaz-Canel emphasized that the energy crisis primarily stems from the unavailability of fuels, exacerbated by the economic war imposed by the United States government. “We have not had stable fuel supplies for the system to operate at full capacity and stability,” he stated, noting that this situation led to a disconnection incident in the national electrical system last Friday.

Despite efforts to restore connectivity, the system experienced multiple additional disconnections, resulting in an unprecedented electrical crisis on the island.

🇨🇺| El presidente del Consejo de Defensa Nacional, @DiazCanelB, chequeó esta tarde noche la situación que atraviesa el país con la desconexión del sistema eléctrico nacional y el impacto del huracán Oscar por el oriente de la Isla.#UnidosXCuba pic.twitter.com/tGWdLYFpjE
— Presidencia Cuba 🇨🇺 (@PresidenciaCuba) October 21, 2024

“The president of the National Defense Council, @DiazCanelB
,checked this evening the situation that the country is going through with the disconnection of the national electrical system and the impact of Hurricane Oscar on the east of the Island.“

The situation became critical after the disconnection incident occurred last Friday. “Immediately, work was done to establish a level of connection. But another disconnection occurred yesterday, and we worked all night and into the morning. This morning and afternoon, when a more favorable situation was observed, another disconnection happened, and we are again working to seek maximum stability for the system,” he explained.

Furthermore, Díaz-Canel stressed that specialists warn that a disconnection of the electrical system is one of the worst incidents that can occur in a country. The president assured that all professional and operational potential is mobilized to address this crisis and restore stability to Cuba’s electrical system.

In light of this situation, extraordinary measures have been implemented, such as halting non-essential economic activities and prioritizing electricity supply for hospitals and food production centers.

“Here works all the professional and operational potential of the electro-energy system. We have had the opportunity to be with other colleagues in the national dispatch, and one must see the level of knowledge and precision with which the colleagues from national load dispatch work in communication with the provinces,” he concluded.