Cuba's Power Crisis: Third Blackout in March

0:00On March 22nd, Cuba faced a complete power outage across the island on Saturday, marking the third nationwide blackout this March. The failure started at a thermoelectric plan in Kamagwe province and quickly spread, knocking out the entire grid. Officials from the Energy Ministry explain that the issue triggered a chain reaction in other online generators. They quickly set up small isolated power zones to keep hospitals, water plants, and other critical services running while crews worked on fixes. These blackouts hit hard on everyday life, forcing shorter workdays, spoiling food and fridges, and even halting some hospital operations. People struggle without power for cooking or basic needs during these long stretches without electricity. The problem stemmed from decades-old equipment breaking down, combined with severe fuel shortages. Cuba only makes about 40% of the fuel it needs, and imports have dried up for months due to loss supplies from allies like Venezuela and tight U.S. restrictions on oil shipments.

1:02Authorities continue efforts to stabilize the grid and bring power back step-by-step as the nation grapples with these repeated energy crises.