The persistent blackouts gripping Cuba have taken a toll on high-rise residents, who face daily uncertainty as power outages disrupt elevators, water pumps, and basic utilities. In the capital Havana, towers that once symbolised modernity now stand as monuments to infrastructural fragility, with families climbing dozens of flights of stairs and enduring hours without refrigeration or lighting. The crisis, rooted in aging Soviet-era power plants and a chronic lack of fuel, has exposed the vulnerabilities of a national grid that had already been strained by decades of economic sanctions and minimal investment.
Enter the UK trade mission, which this week arrived in Havana with a proposition: advanced energy technology, from solar microgrids to AI-driven grid management systems. The delegation, led by the Department for Business and Trade, sees an opportunity to forge a partnership that could stabilise Cuba’s power supply. But the offer comes with strings attached, raising questions about digital sovereignty and the ethics of technological dependence.
For the residents of buildings like the iconic FOCSA building, a 39-storey residential complex, the situation is dire. “We never know when the lights will go out,” says Marta, a 64-year-old retiree who has lived there for three decades. “Sometimes it’s for a few hours, sometimes for the whole day. I am afraid to use the lift. What if I get stuck?” Her fear is not unfounded; reports of people trapped in elevators have become routine. The blackouts have also crippled water supply, as pumps cannot operate without power, leaving residents in upper floors with no running water for days.
UK Energy Minister Lord Callanan, part of the trade mission, stated that the proposed technologies could offer “a leapfrog from outdated infrastructure to a resilient, smart grid.” The package includes blockchain-based energy trading platforms, which would allow users to buy and sell excess solar power, and AI algorithms to predict demand and prevent outages. But such systems require data collection and internet connectivity, which are far from universal in Cuba. The island’s internet penetration is around 40%, and the government heavily monitors online activity. This raises concerns: will the UK’s smart grid become a tool for surveillance, or a model for empowerment?
Silicon Valley expat and technology ethics expert Julian Vane, now based in London, warns of the ‘Black Mirror’ consequences. “When you bring in AI-driven grid management, you are handing over control of essential services to algorithms that may not understand local contexts. You introduce a single point of failure: the software. And if that software is proprietary? The Cuban government could be locked into a dependency cycle, paying licensing fees for decades while their own expertise atrophies.” Vane advocates for open-source solutions and a technology transfer agreement that includes training for Cuban engineers. “Otherwise, this is not a partnership; it is a new form of colonialism."
The trade mission’s offer also includes funding for pilot projects, but Cuban officials have been cautious. The National Electrical Utility (UNE) is reportedly interested in the microgrid technology, which could provide solar power to individual buildings, bypassing the struggling main grid. However, the prospect of connecting these microgrids to the national network raises technical and political hurdles. The UK companies involved, such as Octopus Energy and Rolls-Royce’s small modular reactor division, see a long-term market. But for now, the focus is on immediate relief.
Meanwhile, the human cost continues to mount. In the high-rises, residents have developed coping mechanisms: charging phones at work, storing water in buckets, and cooking on portable gas stoves. Social media groups share updates on which buildings have power. The uncertainty is a psychological weight. “You never relax,” says a young mother named Yara. “You are always thinking: when will the power go? When will it come back?”
The UK trade mission leaves tomorrow, but its offer remains on the table. Whether Cuba accepts may depend on whether the deal prioritises user experience for the people who need it most, or the bottom line for tech companies. The high-rise residents, suspended between hope and fear, watch closely.
