Most of Havana back online as Cuba works to revive power grid

By Dave Sherwood and Nelson Acosta

HAVANA (Reuters) -Cuba's power-grid operator said it had restored electricity to most of the capital Havana on Monday even as Tropical Storm Oscar lashed the island's eastern end, downing trees and power lines.

Strong winds raked the region as the storm stalled over land, uprooting banana plants and tearing roofs off homes, according to footage from state-run television. More than 10 inches (254 mm) of rain fell in spots, causing landslides and flash floods and cutting off outlying areas.

Most of Cuba's eastern tip remained without power and communications in the latest of multiple grid collapses during the past four days.

Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy said technicians were working carefully to avoid another electrical collapse given "complex" circumstances.

"The last thing we want is that, as a consequence of a fallen power line, we suffer another collapse of the system," de la O Levy said.

Cuban energy officials said they had restored power to 89% of Havana by mid-afternoon. Technicians had also re-established service to some outlying provinces as the island's largest power plant, Antonio Guiteras, came online, providing a significant boost to generation.

Cuba's Communist-run government closed schools and non-essential industry through Wednesday as work continued on restoring the grid.

Top electricity official Lazaro Guerra said workers were making important headway, but warned against too much optimism.

"We should not expect that when the system comes back online the blackouts will end," he said, noting that the system would still generate significantly less than the country's total demand.

Cuba's national electrical grid first crashed on Friday, before Oscar's arrival, after the island's largest power plant shut down and dire fuel shortages sent the system into disarray, leaving 10 million people without electricity. 

Cuba's grid has fully or partially failed three times since, underscoring the precarious state of the country's infrastructure and putting on edge many Cubans, who already suffer from dire shortages of food, fuel and medicine.

TENSIONS RISE

Havana was largely quiet overnight. But a Reuters witness saw several scattered protests in poor, outlying neighborhoods, as well as residents banging pots in frustration after days of blackouts and food and water shortages.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel spoke on national television late on Sunday, telling Cubans to air their grievances with discipline and civility.

"We are not going to accept nor allow anyone to act with vandalism and much less to alter the tranquility of our people," Diaz-Canel said.

Cubans have for months endured prolonged blackouts of 10 to 20 hours a day across much of the country, spoiling precious food stocks and complicating access to fuel and water. 

The government and independent experts say the grid, long near collapse, has reached a critical point as obsolete infrastructure deteriorates and fuel runs short. 

Cuba blames the U.S. trade embargo, as well as sanctions instituted by former President Donald Trump for difficulties in acquiring fuel and spare parts to operate and maintain its oil-fired plants.

The U.S. has denied any role in the grid failures.

Cuban allies Russia, Mexico and Venezuela have all slashed exports to the island in recent months.

(Reporting by Dave Sherwood and Nelson Acosta; Editing by Rod Nickel)