Cuba struggles to restore power after another nationwide blackout

Cuba is slowly restoring electricity after another nationwide blackout left millions without power, marking the country’s second major outage in less than a week. Officials said repair efforts are moving forward but continue to face serious challenges because of fuel shortages, adding to the difficulties caused by the country’s ongoing economic crisis.

State electricity company UNE said power was gradually returning to parts of the country on Saturday. In Havana, where around 1.7 million people live, electricity had been restored to about 12 percent of households by Saturday evening. Earlier in the day, only seven percent of homes in the capital had access to power. The utility said restoration work would continue as conditions improve.

The latest blackout began on Friday afternoon, only two days after authorities had successfully reconnected the national grid following another countrywide outage earlier in the week. It is the fourth nationwide blackout in the past six months and the ninth major power failure since late 2024, highlighting the growing strain on Cuba’s aging electricity system.

The repeated outages have increased public frustration as people struggle with long hours without electricity during an already difficult economic period. Many residents say daily life has become increasingly challenging as power failures disrupt essential services, businesses, and household routines.

Seventy one year old retiree Eneyda Gomez said people have little choice but to adjust to the situation. She explained that there is nothing ordinary citizens can do except continue living with the repeated blackouts and hope conditions eventually improve.

Pedro Martinez, a 63 year old resident, said many Cubans are reaching their limit after enduring frequent outages and economic hardship. He described the situation as extremely stressful and said he does not expect any meaningful improvement in the near future.

President Miguel Diaz Canel blamed the country’s energy problems on restrictions affecting fuel supplies. In a message posted on social media, he said the situation remains extremely difficult because of what he described as a severe oil blockade imposed by the United States.

According to Cuban officials, fuel shortages have become one of the biggest obstacles to restoring electricity. Limited fuel supplies not only reduce the amount of power that can be generated but also restrict the use of backup generators that rely on imported diesel during emergencies.

Authorities say the country’s electricity network has also been weakened by decades old infrastructure that requires significant repairs and investment. Aging power plants and transmission systems have contributed to repeated failures, leaving the national grid increasingly vulnerable to large scale outages.

The country’s energy difficulties have intensified during its worst economic crisis in decades. Rising costs, limited foreign currency reserves, and reduced fuel imports have placed additional pressure on public services and everyday life. Officials argue that restrictions on oil shipments have further reduced their ability to stabilize the electricity system.

As repair crews continue working across the country, millions of Cubans remain uncertain about when reliable electricity will fully return. While some neighborhoods have begun receiving power again, authorities have warned that restoring the entire national grid will take time because of technical challenges and ongoing fuel shortages. The latest blackout has once again exposed the fragile state of Cuba’s power network and the growing difficulties the country faces in maintaining essential infrastructure.