HAVANA — Cuba’s electrical grid collapsed Wednesday, leaving the entire island without power, according to the state-run power company.
“A total disconnection of the Electrical System, SEN, has occurred, which may be associated with an unexpected outage of the CTE Guiteras,” the Ministry of Energy and Mines wrote on X.
It said the causes are being investigated and the restoration process has already begun.
In the country’s capital, residents expressed concern over the blackout and not knowing how long it could take to re-establish connectivity on top of all the daily economic struggles they face, including shortages in food and medicine.
“This country can’t take much more. We just have one misfortune after another,” said a small-business owner who declined to give his name. “Let’s see how long it lasts and how it will affect us.”
Many worried about spoiling food and lack of water.
Power outages have been a chronic problem in Cuba for years, but they have worsened with the communist-run country’s economic crisis. Daily blackouts can reach up to 20 hours in some parts of the island.
A general blackout in Havana on March 14.Yamil Lage / AFP via Getty Images file
There have been a series of electrical grid collapses in recent years, including in 2022 after Hurricane Ian and in October 2024 when it took days to fully restore power throughout the island.
Experts recently warned about increasing energy demand and the country’s aging and crumbling infrastructure, which requires constant maintenance.
In the past, the government has cited shortages of fuel used to fire up its plants and increasing demands for power. The government has also blamed the decades-old U.S. embargo on Cuba for making it difficult to import parts.