Nearly two decades have passed since Fidel Castro enthusiastically launched what he called Cuba's "Energy Revolution." This initiative was touted as the ultimate solution to the nation's persistent energy issues, aiming to decrease reliance on imported oil, upgrade the energy infrastructure, and promote renewable energy sources. However, twenty years on, the situation is dire: Cuba is grappling with an unprecedented energy crisis that seems more severe than ever.
Initial Hopes and Subsequent Failures
The original excitement was fueled by quick-impact measures: replacing inefficient appliances, promoting energy-saving bulbs, and distributing diesel generators nationwide to ensure consistent electricity supply. Yet, the deeper structural issues were either overlooked or insufficiently addressed. Large-scale thermoelectric plants, mostly built with Soviet technology in the 1970s and 80s, have continued to degrade without an effective renewal plan. Rather than investing in long-term infrastructure, temporary solutions were chosen, leading to an expensive and inefficient dependency on diesel generators.
Crisis Unfolding: The Power Outages
The so-called milestone of distributed generation quickly became a sinking lifeline. Powered by costly imported fuel and after nearly 20 years of continuous operation without adequate maintenance, these generators have become unsustainable. Frequent blackouts, now a regular part of daily life for Cubans, are the most visible symptom of a crisis that can no longer be concealed. Families endure hours-long power cuts, disrupting both their quality of life and the already fragile local economy.
October 18, 2024: A Nationwide Blackout
On October 18, 2024, Cuba experienced a massive blackout due to the complete disconnection of the National Electric System. The outage followed the shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant at 11:07 am, according to the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Millions were left without power, and although officials claimed they were working to restore service, they admitted there was "no defined time for restoration."
The blackout caused significant disruption nationwide, with power only restored in circuits supplying critical hospitals. In Havana, even the José Martí International Airport was plunged into darkness. While generators were used to maintain operations, images shared on social media raised concerns about whether the backup power was sufficient to ensure flight safety.
Connectivity and Renewable Energy Shortcomings
The crisis also affected the island's connectivity. NetBlocks, a monitoring company, reported a significant drop in Internet traffic linked to the Guiteras plant's disconnection, impacting both individual users and institutions reliant on connectivity.
The promise of transitioning to renewable energy remains unfulfilled. Despite ambitious plans for solar and wind farms, these sources' contribution remains minimal. Renewable projects, often reliant on external funding, have been delayed or only partially implemented, failing to offset the traditional plants' crisis. Rather than reducing oil dependency, Cuba's vulnerability has increased, especially with international market fluctuations.
A Stagnant System in Need of Overhaul
Two decades after the so-called "Energy Revolution" began, the result is a faltering energy system. Key infrastructures are on the brink of collapse, and a lack of investment has perpetuated their obsolescence. The energy crisis is not merely a technical issue; it reflects a policy unable to build sustainable solutions, relying instead on temporary measures and lofty rhetoric.
But the energy crisis is just one facet of a much larger problem. The current state of the electric sector mirrors the systemic crisis of Cuba's economic and political model, which has failed to evolve and remains stuck in the past. The continuity promoted by Miguel Diaz-Canel is merely a continuation of hardship and decay. Over the past twenty years, Cuba has not invested in a real modernization of its infrastructure, nor installed more advanced power plants from allies like China or Russia, despite available financing and loans. Solar farms with Chinese-made panels remain unrealized, unaffected by the ever-cited U.S. embargo. Cuba is stuck in the past, hindered by a political and economic system as outdated as its Soviet-era power plants.
The country requires more than temporary fixes and emergency solutions. Cuba's transformation necessitates acknowledging that the current system is ineffective, that a nation cannot be run like a military camp, and that Cubans deserve to live fully, not merely survive as if in a constant state of warfare. The lack of vision to invest in a sustainable energy future mirrors the same shortcoming in transforming the economic and political system that has stalled the nation. Change is needed not only in the energy realm but at every level of the state structure, to provide its people with a future of greater stability, progress, and well-being.