Cuba’s grid failure leaves 10 million in darkness as the oil crisis deepens

The oil blockade and a failing grid in Cuba exacerbate the economic crisis, leading to a nationwide blackout that leaves millions without power.

Cuba’s national electric grid experienced a collapse on Monday, resulting in approximately 10 million people being left without power, as reported by the country’s grid operator. The United States’ oil blockade, which continues to exert pressure on the island’s aging energy infrastructure, exacerbates this situation.

Grid operator UNE is investigating the cause of the latest in a series of blackouts that have lasted hours or days. The disruptions led to an unusual violent protest over the weekend in the communist-run country.

Officials have dismissed the possibility of a significant power plant failure, though the exact cause remains unidentified, with attention now turning to a potential transmission issue.

Officials indicated that efforts are in progress to gradually restore electricity by reconnecting small clusters of circuits, referred to as microsystems, which is an essential initial step toward fully stabilizing the grid.

The crisis has intensified due to increasing pressure from the US. Following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, Washington has ramped up sanctions against Cuba’s primary oil supplier.

The US President, Donald Trump, has put a stop to Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and has issued threats of tariffs against countries that provide oil to the island, thereby exacerbating its already aging power infrastructure.

Cuba announced on Friday that it has begun discussions with the United States to alleviate the current situation, following Trump’s repeated assertions that the country is on the brink of collapse and might be receptive to negotiations.

Frequent outages have become an everyday reality for many Cubans, caused by fuel shortages and ongoing structural failures in the grid.

“No, the news didn’t surprise me,” said Dayana Machin, 26, a resident of Havana, noting that all Cubans were now seeking alternatives to grid-provided electricity.
“We are becoming accustomed to this way of life.”