Cuba plunged into darkness as nationwide power grid collapses

2026-03-16 - 22:32

Cuba's Electric Union (UNE) announced Monday that the nation's power grid has suffered a total collapse, plunging the entire island into darkness. The state entity responsible for electricity supply reported that efforts are now underway to restore service nationwide following the system failure that left millions without power. Generation gap proves insurmountable According to UNE officials, the national energy system had already been strained by a generation deficit the previous day, as electricity consumption consistently exceeded available supply. By Monday, the National Electric System had only about 1,140 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity available, while demand stood at 2,347 MW—a gap of more than 1,200 MW that ultimately triggered the widespread blackout. Despite the presence of 52 solar power plants intended to supplement oil- and diesel-based generation, photovoltaic production, which reached a maximum output of 732 MW, proved insufficient to prevent the system's collapse. Emergency restoration efforts begin Authorities have activated an emergency plan to restore power, beginning with the startup of Unit 4 at the Cienfuegos thermoelectric power plant, which has a generation capacity of 80 MW. The restoration process is expected to be gradual as workers struggle to bring generation facilities back online amid fuel shortages and aging infrastructure. US oil halt deepens energy crisis The massive blackout comes against a backdrop of worsening energy scarcity, following the US government's complete halt of oil supplies to the island. The suspension has further crippled Cuba's already struggling power generation capacity, leaving the country increasingly dependent on its limited domestic resources and solar production, which cannot yet meet the population's needs. The collapse highlights the severity of Cuba's energy crisis and the challenges facing authorities as they work to stabilize the grid.