TUCKED away on the Caribbean coast lies a mammoth Soviet-designed nuclear power plant that experts once feared could become the next Chernobyl. Dubbed the "Monster", the Juragua plant was built in America's backyard - about 180 miles south of Key West - by the USSR to solve Cuba's raging energy crisis. But all it could become was an eerie-looking monolith that has been abandoned for decades. Dramatic pictures show the torn-down site with tarnished walls and building blocks falling apart. From a distance, the nuclear site appears to rise out of the sea - it's a menacing dome of concrete cloaked in a tangled web of scaffolding. And from inside, the abandoned power plant looks like a maze filled with rusty equipment. Now the half-built plant - still protected by guards - sits eerily abandoned as a stark reminder of Cold War tensions.
Cuba's Nuclear Ambitions
Cuba’s revolutionary government, headed by Fidel Castro, had long been eyeing a nuclear plant as an answer to all its problems. Funded with Soviet money, experts believed one of the power plant's reactors would be enough to cater to almost 15 per cent of Cuba’s energy needs. Work on the Juragua plant began in 1980 when the Russians agreed to construct two 440-megawatt nuclear power reactors to aid Cuba's increasing energy demands. Foundations for both the reactors were soon laid as Russians pumped a staggering £1billion to set up a nuclear site near America. The reactor site dominates the narrow entrance to the bay of Cienfuegos, a southern industrial city where most of the factories are closed or barely operating.
Ghost Town of Nuclear City
Next to Juragua lies a "Nuclear City'' - the half-built town of flats for plant workers, along with schools and a clinic. About 1,200 workers used to live there with families to maintain the plant, while some poorly paid scientists used to run restaurants and hotels for extra cash. But its progress suffered long delays, raising accusations of incompetence and corruption.
The Shadow of Chernobyl
Back in the day, Russia's biggest enemy America strongly opposed the construction of the nuclear site, citing "threats to its national security". And fears ramped up even more when the infamous Soviet-built reactor in Chernobyl went down in the biggest nuclear catastrophe to date. Although three-quarters of the plant had already been completed, work was halted in the 90s after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But some 225 former Soviet technicians apparently stayed on in Cuba waiting to see if new credits might be granted by Moscow. But Castro of Cuba announced the indefinite suspension of work on the nuclear power plant, the most extravagant Soviet-led development project on the island. He declared: "To continue the work under new conditions proposed, and with such difficulties and obstacles, is impossible for our economy to bear."
A Brief Resurgence and Final Abandonment
It was however nearly revived in a stunning 1997 plan. Russian officials said they intended to resume construction and President Vladimir Putin visited Cuba three years later to float the idea with Castro. Vlad is said to have offered $800million (£608million) to finish the job but Fidel turned him down. The Juragua plant remains a chilling monument to the Cold War's ambitions and a cautionary tale of unfulfilled promises. The site serves as a reminder of the complexities of international relations and the lingering anxieties of nuclear technology in a world where even abandoned power plants cast long shadows.
A Haunting Legacy
The Juragua plant stands as a testament to the Cold War's complex legacy, a symbol of ambition, fear, and ultimately, failure. It serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers and uncertainties associated with nuclear technology, particularly during a period of heightened geopolitical tensions. Despite its abandonment, the plant continues to hold a powerful presence, casting a long shadow over the Caribbean coast and leaving visitors with a sense of eerie fascination.
