Blackout is still on in western Cuba as crews rush to repair damaged thermoelectric plant

Описание: (5 Mar 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Havana, Cuba - 05 March 2026
1. Various of people in the street, vegetable vendors
2. Retired Miguel Leyva standing at the door
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Miguel Leyva, retired:
"Bad. I'm bad. I don't have words to describe what I'm going through: heat, mosquitoes, and no electricity. The food could go bad. I know all the problems there are, but listen, it's been more than 24 hours now."
4. Various of empty display cases, signs advertising frozen food
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Ignacio Dorta, shop owner:
“Yes, some of our food, like frozen items, has gone bad. We are exploring ways to prevent more spoilage. We are working on it. Let's hope nothing else goes bad.”
6. Various of Sonia Vázquez selling coffee on the street
7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Sonia Vázquez, street seller:
“I got up at 5 in the morning; I made coffee with gas, which has nothing to do with electricity. Using a rechargeable lamp, I came down and I'm selling it here.”
8. Men searching in a garbage dump
9. Various of children playing in the street
10. Various of traffic lights out, streets, cars, Cuban flag
STORYLINE:
Swaths of Cuba remained without power on Thursday nearly a day after a massive blackout hit the western part of the island in the latest outage blamed on a fragile electric grid and a lack of fuel.

Crews worked overnight to repair a broken boiler at one of Cuba’s largest thermoelectric plants, but officials have warned that it could take three to four days to fully restore power.

On Thursday morning, the streets of Havana, the capital, were busy with people going about their business and trying to get to work despite the near-halt of public transportation.

People sat on the doorsteps of their dark houses for some air after sleepless nights.

“It is bad, I am feeling bad, I have no words,” said 65-year-old Miguel Leyva, who has been without electricity for more than 24 hours. “It is hot, there are mosquitoes, and without electricity, the food is rotting,” added Leyva.

State media reported that nearly 297,000 customers in Havana, or 34%, had power, as well as 37 hospitals and five water supply stations.

Cuba's Electric Union wrote on X that the electrical system is operating “in a limited capacity, prioritizing basic services, primarily health and water supply.”

Unusual for a weekday morning, many children were playing soccer on the streets because several schools were still closed.

Shop owners hope the electricity will return soon before they lose their refrigerated food products. Already, the meat shelves are empty.

State media reported that two power plants are offline due to a lack of petroleum.

Cuba has long struggled with an aging electric grid and intermittent fuel supplies, but the crisis has deepened in recent months.

Key oil shipments from Venezuela were halted after the United States attacked the South American country in early January.

Then, later that month, U.S. President Donald Trump warned he would impose tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba.

AP Video shot by Ariel Fernández and Milexsy Durán

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