KEY POINTS
- Cuba’s national grid collapsed twice in 24 hours.
- Efforts to restore power remain ongoing but incomplete.
- U.S. sanctions and fuel shortages worsen Cuba’s electricity crisis.
Cuba’s government said Saturday it had made some progress in gradually restoring electrical service across the island, including in hospitals and parts of the capital, Havana, after state-run media reported that the national grid had collapsed for the second time in 24 hours.
Widespread blackouts continue as grid collapses twice in 24 hours
However, most of Cuba’s 10 million people remained without electricity as of Saturday afternoon.
Traffic lights were out across Havana, and most businesses were closed. Long lines formed at state-subsidized stores where Cubans buy bread and other essentials. Lazaro Guerra, the country’s top electricity official, said grid operator UNE was working to increase capacity and restart power plants to restore electricity to more areas.
“I cannot assure you that we will be able to fully reconnect the system today, but we expect significant progress,” Guerra said during a TV broadcast.
CubaDebate, a state-run media outlet, reported on social media Saturday morning that UNE had experienced another grid collapse. Guerra did not directly confirm the second collapse but instead referred to a smaller, localized issue, adding to the confusion about what had occurred.
Cuba’s electrical grid first failed Friday afternoon after one of the island’s largest power plants shut down.
Before the collapse, an electricity shortfall had already forced the government to send non-essential state workers home and cancel school to conserve fuel for power generation. Power began returning to parts of the island Friday evening, raising hopes of a full restoration.
Officials blame U.S. sanctions, aging infrastructure for ongoing crisis
Cuba’s government has blamed the ongoing blackouts — lasting as long as 10 to 20 hours a day in much of the country — on aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and rising demand.
Officials said strong winds from Hurricane Milton last week had made it difficult to transport fuel from offshore to power plants. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Oscar, currently north of the Dominican Republic, could bring heavy rain and strong winds to northeastern Cuba in the coming days.
Cuba has also pointed to the U.S. trade embargo and sanctions imposed during the Trump administration as causes of its difficulty in acquiring fuel and spare parts for its power plants.
“There are those who celebrate the ambition of seeing Cuba on its knees with the interruption of the electrical system,” Foreign Vice Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio wrote Saturday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “They support the ruthless U.S. aggression … We respond with the talent and commitment of our workers and executives.”
The United States on Friday denied any role in Cuba’s power grid failure. Cuban officials have said that even if the current crisis is resolved, the electricity shortage will persist.
Cuba produces little crude oil, and its fuel deliveries have plummeted this year as major suppliers Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico have cut exports. Venezuela, a longtime ally, has halved its subsidized fuel shipments to Cuba, forcing the island to buy more expensive oil on the spot market.
Despite the crisis, some Cubans remain resilient.
“We’re used to taking everything in stride because we have no other choice,” said René Duarte, 60, as he strolled through Old Havana in the rain after a sleepless night.
After Hurricane Ian in September 2022, Cuba’s power grid collapsed, leaving the entire country without electricity for days. Service was eventually restored, but not before protests erupted in several cities, including Havana.
