The Chinese ambassador in Havana, Hua Xin, stated that his country will expand cooperation with Cuba in key sectors such as energy, food, and technology, amidst the deep electrical crisis that the Island is experiencing, which has been exacerbated this Monday by a total blackout of the National Electro-Energetic System (SEN).
During a press conference cited by the official channel Caribe, the Chinese diplomat stated that Beijing will continue to support energy projects in Cuba, particularly in the development of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic solar, with the aim of alleviating the complex electrical situation facing the country.
The statements come at a particularly sensitive time. This Monday, Cuba experienced a total disconnection from the SEN, confirmed by the Electric Union (UNE), leaving the Island in a widespread blackout after days of severe service disruptions.
According to the ambassador, China plans to accelerate the implementation of energy cooperation projects, including solar parks and photovoltaic systems aimed at strengthening electricity generation. The diplomat mentioned initiatives that encompass projects of tens of megawatts and thousands of solar systems, and indicated that collaboration will continue to expand.
"There will be more," he assured when responding to journalists' questions about the possibility of new investments in the Cuban energy sector.
The Chinese representative also emphasized that his country currently leads in the generation of clean energy and the development of energy storage technologies, noting that these capabilities are part of the projects that Beijing is willing to share with Cuba.
In his statement, he also reiterated China’s political support for the Cuban government and condemned the United States sanctions, asserting that his country “strongly opposes” the coercive measures against the Island and will continue to cooperate in areas such as biotechnology, telecommunications, and food production.
Meanwhile, the energy crisis in the country continues to worsen. Before the total blackout, the system was already operating under extreme pressure: at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, the electricity availability was only 1,140 megawatts compared to a demand of 2,347, according to official data from the UNE.
The collapse of the SEN occurred within that context of structural fragility in the electrical system, characterized by aging thermal power plants, lack of fuel, and constant breakdowns.
Although the Cuban government has been focusing in recent months on expanding solar generation with new photovoltaic parks, this effort has not managed to prevent the daily blackouts that affect much of the country.
Now, with the electrical system once again at its limit, authorities are hopeful that the energy projects driven in partnership with China can help stabilize a grid that many Cubans feel is increasingly on the brink of collapse.
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