Cuba: Power grid collapse leaves millions in darkness amid fuel shortages

Millions of people in Cuba were left without electricity on Monday after the country’s national power grid collapsed, according to the state power operator, plunging much of the island, including the capital Havana, into darkness.

Streets across the country were lit only by headlamps and battery-powered lights as residents grappled with the outage, which is the latest in a series of blackouts affecting the Caribbean nation.

Cuba’s grid operator, Electrical Union (UNE), said early on Tuesday that electricity was gradually being restored to provinces and cities.

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The blackout highlights ongoing problems with Cuba’s aging electricity infrastructure and persistent fuel shortages, issues that have worsened in recent months.

Analysts say reduced oil supplies and external pressures have strained the system, leading to repeated nationwide outages.

According to the BBC, the crisis has also intensified daily hardships for many Cubans, as electricity shortages disrupt water supply, food storage and transportation.

“It is not just the blackout,” 26-year-old Havana resident Lázaro Hernández told news agency, Reuters.

“There is no water because there is no electricity to run the pumps. There is no electricity, no food, no oil, no fuel, and private businesses have high prices because everything is going up now, since they have to move their goods by truck and transport. All of this is really very bad.”

Meanwhile, Dayana Machin, also 26 and from Havana, said she was not surprised by the situation. “We’re already used to living with this,” she said.

Cuba, home to about 10 million people, depends heavily on imported fuel to run its power plants. Supplies have been severely disrupted in recent months, with the government confirming it has not received an oil shipment in three months.

The shortfall has been linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and reduced deliveries from key partners, worsening the country’s energy crisis. 

The outages have also triggered rare public protests, with some residents taking to the streets in Havana on Monday, banging pots and pans in frustration.

However, demonstrations without authorisation are illegal in Cuba and can lead to arrest.

Authorities have tried to ease the impact by increasing domestic energy production, including crude oil, gas, and solar power.

However, these measures have yet to stabilise the grid or end the frequent blackouts.

(BBC)