Cuba slowly getting power back after third nationwide blackout in 6 months

Cubans are grappling with the aftermath of the nation's third widespread power outage this year, a crisis exacerbated by persistent fuel shortages attributed by the government to U.S. sanctions. The state electricity company, Union Electrica (UNE), announced a "total disconnection" across the island on Monday, leaving its 9.6 million inhabitants without power.

“

The lack of fuel "undoubtedly complicates the restoration process."

While UNE offered no immediate explanation for the outage, officials, including President Miguel Diaz-Canel, pointed to the U.S. "energy blockade" as the primary cause. Diaz-Canel stated that U.S. attempts to create social unrest by blocking fuel access were being met by the UNE's efforts to reverse the collapse of the national electric system, calling the work of electrical workers "heroic" amidst a "genocidal energy blockade."

Restoration efforts began gradually on Tuesday. By morning, over 30% of the capital, Havana, had power restored, including critical facilities like 43 medical centers and nine water distribution installations. This outage marks the eighth nationwide blackout since late 2024, adding to the growing despair of a population already enduring severe, prolonged power cuts.

“

While the U.S. attempts to trigger social unrest through strangulation by blocking fuel access to Cuba, the UNE is mobilizing to reverse the collapse of the National Electric System. The work being done by electrical workers amidst a genocidal energy blockade is heroic.

The energy crisis is compounded by the deteriorating state of Cuba's power infrastructure, largely composed of aging Soviet-era plants. The situation has worsened significantly since January, when the U.S. reportedly restricted fuel supplies, allowing only one Russian oil tanker to dock since then. This has forced increasingly draconian, sometimes 70-hour-long, power cuts in an attempt to conserve dwindling fuel reserves, making daily life a struggle for many Cubans.

“

Living like this is agony. We have no WiFi, no electricity, we can't work.