People spend the night in the dark on the Malecon during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
A second power outage in five days— and the third this month — left Cuba without electricity on Saturday, with authorities later attributing it to an “unexpected failure” at a generating unit in the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant in Camagüey province.Also Read: Islandwide blackout hits Cuba as it struggles with deepening energy crisis“From that moment, a cascading failure occurred among the units that were online,” the Ministry of Energy and Mines said in a report.
Cuba blackout
The ministry added that it activated “micro-islands” of generating units to supply electricity to essential services, including hospitals, water systems, and other vital centres.
Initially, the Cuban Electric Union, which reports to the energy ministry, announced a nationwide blackout without providing an immediate cause.
Cuba blackout
Efforts are underway to restore electricity.Power outages ‘relatively common’ in CubaPower outages in Cuba — both nationwide and regional — have become increasingly common over the past two years due to failures in the country’s aging infrastructure. These breakdowns are compounded by daily blackouts lasting up to 12 hours, driven by persistent fuel shortages that further strain the system.Also Read: Communist party’s office attacked in Cuba over outagesThe outages have had a severe impact on daily life, disrupting work, limiting cooking options, and causing food spoilage as refrigeration fails, among other challenges.
Cuba blackout
President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the island has not received oil from foreign suppliers for three months, with domestic production meeting only about 40% of its fuel needs.While Cuba’s deteriorating power grid is a key factor, the government has also blamed the crisis on US sanctions. President Donald Trump in January warned of tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, with Washington demanding the release of “political prisoners” and steps toward political and economic reforms in exchange for easing restrictions.
Cuba blackout
Trump has also floated the possibility of a “friendly takeover” of Cuba.(With AP inputs)
