Cuba slowly restores power after nationwide blackout

The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) reported that electricity now covers about two-thirds of the country, from Pinar del Río in the west to Holguín in the east. In Havana, a city of 1.7 million, the state utility Union Electrica (UNE) confirmed that power had returned to 45% of households by Tuesday afternoon.

Monday’s collapse marked the sixth total failure of the National Electric System in just 18 months. The country’s reliance on thermal power plants, many operating for more than four decades, has left the grid fragile and prone to breakdowns.

Even before the latest outage, Havana residents endured daily blackouts lasting up to 15 hours, while rural provinces faced stretches of darkness lasting as long as 48 hours.

The crisis has been compounded by U.S. sanctions that cut off Venezuelan oil shipments — Cuba’s primary fuel source — and discouraged other suppliers. In response, President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s government has imposed strict austerity measures, including suspending diesel sales, rationing gasoline, and reducing non-essential hospital services.

The worsening shortages have fueled public anger. Protests erupted in Havana and the town of Morón in recent days, with reports of clashes and at least five arrests as security forces moved to disperse demonstrators.