Havana Power Storage

Is a blackout causing power outages in Havana?

A blackout has hit the western half of Cuba, including Havana, leaving millions of people without power on an island struggling with chronic outages blamed on a crumbling electric grid Headlines from ABC News Live Catch up on the developing stories making headlines.

What caused a power outage in Havana?

Lázaro Guerra, general director of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, said the massive outage was caused by a failure on a transmission line that connects two major plants. He said power would be restored gradually. In Havana, dozens of police officers were trying to direct traffic while many students who were already in school were sent back home.

Why does Cuba have a bad energy system?

Cuba’s energy system also suffers from years of reliance on domestic, poor-quality heavy crude oil, which is corrosive because it’s high in sulfur. This has accelerated the wear and tear on boilers, turbines, and pipes in Cuba’s power plants, shortening their life spans and causing frequent and costly outages.

How much of Cuba's energy is renewable?

The government set a goal of deriving 37 percent of Cuba’s energy from renewable sources by 2030; so far they’ve reached only 3 percent. Cuba is actively looking to partner internationally on energy initiatives. Agreements with Russia primarily focus on modernizing existing thermal facilities and possibly constructing new ones.