Cuba Experiences Large-Scale Power Outage, Millions Plunged into Darkness

On Friday evening, Cuba experienced a widespread power outage, affecting Havana and all provinces across the country, plunging millions of people into darkness.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines of Cuba reported that around 8:15 pm local time, the Diezmero substation in the outskirts of Havana experienced a malfunction, leading to “severe damage to the power generation capacity in western Cuba, resulting in a paralysis of the national electricity system.”

The department posted on the social platform X stating that they are currently “engaged in restoration operations.”

The streets of Havana were pitch black, empty of people, with only a few hotels with generators emitting light through their windows. This blackout disrupted internet services, with communication in some areas being disturbed.

Reports from provinces like Guantánamo, Artemisa, Santiago de Cuba, and Santa Clara indicated widespread power outages, with only sporadic lights visible.

Earlier, the National Electric Union, responsible for overseeing the power sector, had mentioned in its daily report that peak-hour power demand would reach approximately 3,250 megawatts, with a power deficit of about 1,380 megawatts, equivalent to 42% of the national demand.

Though this power outage is severe, it is not the most serious in recent times. At the end of last year, Cuba experienced three nationwide blackouts, casting the country into darkness amid a severe economic crisis.

Frequent power outages plague Cuba, with over half of the nation’s regions at risk of blackouts during peak electricity consumption periods. The main causes of these blackouts are fuel shortages and aging infrastructure. Electricity is crucial for cooking and water pumping in many parts of the island.

Authorities have initiated plans to install solar photovoltaic power plants, promising that several solar photovoltaic parks will be operational within the year.

Major blackouts in Cuba have sparked anti-government protests in 2021, 2022, and 2024.