WASHINGTON (TNND) — Cuban officials reported an island-wide power outage on Monday, leaving much of the country’s roughly 11 million residents without electricity as the island struggles with a worsening energy and economic crisis.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines said the blackout was caused by a “complete disconnection” of the national electrical system and confirmed an investigation is underway to determine the cause.
The outage is the latest setback for Cuba’s aging power grid, which has been under increasing strain amid severe fuel shortages and infrastructure failures.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said last week the country has gone more than three months without receiving oil shipments, forcing the government to rely on limited supplies of solar energy, natural gas, and thermoelectric plants.
Officials say thousands of medical procedures have been postponed as hospitals struggle with limited electricity and fuel supplies.
Critical oil shipments from Venezuela were halted after the U.S. attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its then-president, Nicolás Maduro.
Cuba produces about 40 percent of the petroleum it consumes, but the country still relies heavily on imports to power its electricity system.
Even with domestic production and alternative energy sources, officials say supplies have not been enough to meet demand as the nation’s electrical infrastructure continues to deteriorate.
The island has experienced repeated power outages in recent years as a result of fuel shortages, equipment failures, and aging power plants.
Just over a week ago, another major outage struck western Cuba, leaving millions without power.
As the situation worsens, Díaz-Canel confirmed that Cuban officials are in discussions with the United States in an effort to address the energy crisis.
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Editor’s Note: The Associated Press contributed to this story.
