Millions without power as Cuba hit by latest major blackout

Cuba experienced a nationwide power failure on Friday when the entire electricity grid suffered a “total disconnection,” according to the country’s energy ministry. The outage began just before 14:00 local time (18:00 GMT) after a transmission fault combined with adverse weather in central Cuba, and it left millions without electricity across the island. Grid operator UNE reported that power was gradually restored to priority sites such as hospitals and water‑pumping stations in Havana by late evening, while the broader restoration effort continued into Saturday under the direction of national load dispatch director Félix Estrada.

The blackout is at least the sixth major interruption this year, reflecting the cumulative impact of an ageing power infrastructure and chronic fuel shortages that have been deepened by a U.S. blockade on oil shipments. Since the start of the year, tight sanctions have limited Cuba’s ability to import the fuel needed to run its generators, forcing the nation to rely heavily on imports that are now further constrained by recent U.S. threats to seize shipments and impose tariffs. Venezuela, once a key supplier providing roughly 35,000 barrels a day, has also reduced deliveries after its own oil exports were halted following the U.S. seizure of President Nicolás Maduro. The energy crisis has spilled over into other sectors, with hospitals struggling to operate, schools and government offices forced to close, and shortages of food and medicine becoming more acute.

Residents described the growing frequency of blackouts as a new normal, with some experiencing up to 28 hours without electricity and fearing prolonged outages. The repeated failures have sparked rare, unauthorized protests despite the legal ban on demonstrations, underscoring public frustration. Havana’s government blames the Trump administration’s sanctions for the fuel crunch, while Washington attributes the crisis to mismanagement and frames Cuba as a national‑security concern, even suggesting a “friendly takeover” of the island’s leadership.

⚡ Effects Interpreter