Cuba Blackout Hits Island as Fuel Shortages Deepen Power Crisis

The latest Cuba blackout left most of Havana without electricity on Friday as the island faced another major power failure. Only about five percent of residents in the Cuban capital had electricity by Friday evening.

Cuba’s Energy Ministry said that the country’s electricity grid has been fully shut down. According to the state-run utility UNE, the incident was caused by transmission line issues and unfavourable weather conditions.

This was Cuba’s seventh significant blackout in 2026, and the 12th countrywide power disruption since late 2024. The island, which has a population of over nine million, has had regular power outages due to the age and poor condition of several of its thermoelectric power units.

Cuba Blackout Worsens Daily Life

The power problem has worsened since January, when Washington implemented steps that Havana claims have resulted in a de facto energy embargo. Cuba claims the US policies are contributing to the country’s gasoline deficit.

The scarcity of fuel has made it difficult to maintain power plants and backup generators operational. Many of these generators rely on imported fuel, which adds to the strain on the energy grid.

The power interruptions have had far-reaching consequences for Havana residents. Water supply and cell phone services have also been affected, making daily living more difficult.

Schoolteacher Lidia Fernandez said that households were experiencing several shortages at the same time. She mentioned an issue with water, cooking gas and power.

Recent disruptions in Havana have lasted more than 30 hours. Some regions beyond the city have been without power for more than 60 hours.

Retiree Francisco Rodriguez, 78, claimed his house had been without power for 28 hours on Friday. He had anticipated electricity to be restored for at least a few hours, but worried the new outage might last many days.

Cuba’s Economic Crisis Adds to Pressure

The power outages coincide with Cuba’s greater economic woes. An independent research issued last week indicated that 66 percent of the population is presently poor, up from 45 percent in mid-2025.

The survey was conducted out by the Christian Center for Reflection and Dialogue, or CCRD. It attributed the substantial increase in poverty to rising food costs.

Mayra Espina, the study’s coordinator, said that the data indicate that the situation is worsening.

Cuba blames many of the country’s economic problems on US sanctions and other punitive measures. Washington has blamed the situation on inadequate internal management.

Despite ongoing power outages, some locals are doing their best to survive. During the most recent outage, retired Zunilda Garcia, 60, walked outdoors to power a little light using solar energy.

She urged locals to be calm and not give up hope as the island faced another protracted power outage.