A failed nuclear power project in Cuba

This past weekend I watched La Obra del Siglo, a 2015 Cuban film that shows the stark contrast between the optimism of yesteryear and the mundane realities of today.

The movie was recommended by Isabelle DeSisto, a friend from Harvard and an expert on Cuban-Soviet history. It checked all my boxes: the Cold War, Cuba and nuclear power. For those who don't know, I am currently helping develop and commercialize tiny nuclear reactors – a source of clean energy designed to help fight the climate crisis.

The movie revolves around the true story of Juragua Nuclear Power Plant, a failed Cuban-Soviet project that now sits unfinished on the coast of Cuba. Although the central plot is fictional, it incorporates a ton of real footage from the construction of the plant.

The construction project, which began in the early 1980s, was a symbol of Cuban-Soviet optimism. The partnership was going to help Cuba develop into a powerful nation. Energy would have been abundant and affordable, enabling rapid economic growth.

Several miles from the plant, the Cuban government built the "Electro-Nuclear City," a communist-style set of apartment buildings designed to house Cuban plant employees and their Soviet supervisors. The movie tells the fictional story of a family that now lives in a flat overlooking the carcass of the unfinished power plant. You can see the community here on Google Maps.

The film moves slowly but the aesthetics are interesting. It gives you an idea of what it's like to live in Cuba, a country defined by scarcity. The dialogue highlights the fascinating connection between the Cuban and Soviet cultures – the way the Cubans used to admire the Cold-War ambition and ingenuity of the Soviets.

The electricity output from the two Juragua reactors would have been a boon to productivity and prosperity. Cuba would have enjoyed some sense of energy security. Instead of relying on Soviet (and now Venezuelan) shipments of oil, Cuba could have approached energy independence.

Today, Cuba's power grid largely relies on oil-fired plants, an antiquated type of generator that emits significant amounts of carbon. This oil mostly comes from Venezuela, a country that has steadily become unreliable as an exporter – despite owning the largest oil reserves in the world. As a result, Cuba is beset with constant power outages.

Other generation sources – like renewables and natural gas – make up a small percentage of the island's electricity. Cuba survives on oil. If it is going to escape its long-term economic depression, Cuba is going to need more energy. The current arrangement with Venezuela is too constrained and too volatile.

The unfinished Juragua plant now represents the failures of the Cuban-Soviet partnership. It symbolizes a scarcity of energy and a dearth of optimism.

But there is hope. A new White House may be able to help Cuba once again find a place in world affairs. Trusted foreign advisors may be able to help the Cuban government loosen its grip on its own economy. With more capital and stability, Cuba may be able to produce important resources like electricity on its own turf, like it once hoped to do at Juragua.