Cuba plunged into an unprecedented power outage after the entire electricity grid suddenly collapsed on Monday, briefly leaving about 10 million residents in total darkness.
“At 1:54 p.m. local time, there was a disconnection of the national electrical grid, resulting in a complete power outage throughout Cuba, including the Havana metropolitan area,” the U.S. Embassy in Cuba said.
The nationwide outage comes just two days after a large crowd of protesters fed up with the island’s energy crisis were caught on camera attacking a local Communist Party headquarters in Cuba, looting the building and attempting to set it on fire.
Efforts are currently underway to restore electricity across the island. Reports indicate power is slowly returning in some areas.
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A woman with her son spots a car on a dark street during a power outage in the municipality of Bauta, Artemisa province, Cuba, on March 18, 2024. (Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images)
“The causes are being investigated and protocols for restoration are beginning to take effect,” Cuba’s Ministry of Energy and Mines said Monday afternoon, referring to the island’s disrupted national electrical system.
Cuba’s power grid has become increasingly unstable over the years due to aging infrastructure, fuel shortages and economic constraints that have limited the country’s access to energy sources — including Washington’s long-standing oil embargo and recent U.S. actions that have disrupted Venezuelan fuel shipments, a major source of the country’s energy.
Power outages are common across the country, disrupting water supplies, cooling and communications.
“U.S. government officials should feel very fortunate at the damage being done to every Cuban family,” the Cuban deputy foreign minister said. said Carlos F. de Cossio in response to Monday’s blackout.
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Neya Perez, 86, paints the nails of her neighbor Reyna Maria Rodriguez, 77, during a massive power outage across most of the country, in Havana, March 4, 2026. (Norlys Pérez/Reuters)
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Friday that no fuel has entered the country in the past three months. Since then, electricity generation has been heavily dependent on a “significant contribution from renewable energy sources”.
The total collapse of the power grid came just as officials announced updates to their Villa Clara solar panel project, describing it as a “national security necessity” amid continued restrictions on fossil fuel imports under the Trump administration.
“Amidst a context of severe energy restrictions and a recurring economic lockdown, #Cuba is taking another strong step towards electrical sovereignty,” Villa Clara Electric Company said Monday morning.
“This connection comes at a critical time as Washington maintains severe restrictions on our nation’s access to fossil fuels, financing and technology. Deploying renewable energy sources is not just an environmental issue – it is a national security imperative.”
As the island experiences rolling power outages, residents are urged to brace for significant disruptions and disconnect all non-essential equipment, “leaving only essential appliances on until service stability is restored,” according to the Villa Clara Electric Company.
A family eats during a blackout in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Havana on September 28, 2022. (Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)
Last Saturday, in a rare display of public dissent, anti-government protesters in Cuba, driven by frustration over widespread power outages, reportedly attacked a Communist Party office by throwing rocks, shouting “freedom” and igniting large fires on the spot.
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The demonstration, captured on video, started peacefully in the city of Morón on Friday evening but escalated into violence within hours, Reuters reported, citing local sources.
Reuters contributed to this report.
