Media: Cuba's power system faces total collapse
CNN.com, Havana report, March 16 local time: Cuban power operator said that on Monday, the entire Cuban power grid collapsed, which is the most recent nationwide blackout in recent years and the first since the United States effectively cut off oil supplies to Cuba.
The report said that the state-owned power operator in Cuba said it is working to restore power across the Caribbean island. In recent years, power outages have frequently occurred throughout Cuba. Cuban officials had previously attributed this to the U.S. economic sanctions, but critics also pointed out that the problem lies in the lack of investment in the aging power generation system.
The report said that Cuba relies heavily on oil for power generation. Officials said that the effective blockade of fuel shipments by the United States has exacerbated the country's energy crisis, leading to intermittent power outages, medical supply rationing, and a decline in tourism. Fuel prices have soared, so filling up a tank of gas may cost as much as $300 on the unofficial market.
The report said that Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said last Friday that Cuba has not imported any oil in the past three months. He also said that Cuban officials have held talks with the United States "to identify the bilateral issues that need to be resolved."
The original title of the report was "Cuba’s power system suffers total collapse" (Cuba's power system faces total collapse).
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859850596184075/
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