Cuba struggles with power crisis as Russian fuel arrives
About 50% of Cuba's territory is without electricity due to the energy crisis on the island, as reported by local Cuban Radio Marti. Two tankers, carrying a total of 139,000 tons of diesel fuel, have arrived on the island. Although these shipments came from ports in Denmark and the Netherlands, they were sent by Russia.
7:44 AM EST, November 24, 2024
The radio station, through conversations with local residents across various regions of the island, found that long-term electricity shortages are occurring in provinces such as Camagüey, Santiago de Cuba, and Havana.
According to Radio Marti, in several towns on the island, power outages have lasted for several days, which, as the station reported, "intensifies the population's dissatisfaction there."
It was specified that electricity shortages have led to widespread water and internet shortages on the island.
Since October, there have been regular stoppages at Cuba's main Antonio Guiteras power plant in Matanzas, located in the western part of the island. The company responsible for the distribution of electricity, UNE, claims that the widespread power shortages at this power plant in recent days are due to failures in several power units.
As of Sunday, according to UNE management, the power plant in Matanzas is set to fully resume operations after repairs that started on Tuesday.
Two tankers have arrived in Cuba with a total load of 139,000 tons of diesel fuel.
It is assumed that this shipment, estimated at 81 million dollars, was paid for with a loan provided by Russia, according to the independent Cuban online newspaper 14ymedio.
As Radio Marti reminded, Russian authorities announced at the beginning of November that they would send fuel to the island to address the ongoing energy crisis. The Kremlin declared at the time that it would support the authorities in Havana with a loan to purchase at least 88,000 tons of diesel fuel.
According to Cuban media reports, the first tanker that arrived at the port in Matanzas, in the western part of the island, is the Liberian-flagged vessel "Corossol." It set sail for the Caribbean island from Rotterdam on November 4 with 97,000 tons of fuel.
The second diesel fuel shipment was delivered to the port in Matanzas by the German vessel "Seamarlin." It departed for Cuba from the port of Skagen in Denmark on November 4 with a load of 42,000 tons of fuel.
