Micah Jonah
March 17, 2026
Cuba has been plunged into darkness after its national electricity grid collapsed, leaving about 10 million people without power across the island.
The outage was confirmed by the country’s grid operator, UNE, which said investigations were ongoing to determine the exact cause of the failure. Officials, however, ruled out a major power plant breakdown, pointing instead to a possible transmission issue.
The blackout is the latest in a series of prolonged outages that have disrupted daily life in Cuba, where residents are increasingly forced to rely on alternative energy sources.
Energy challenges in the country have worsened following restrictions linked to policies by the administration of President Donald Trump, including cuts to oil shipments from Venezuela, Cuba’s key supplier. The reduced fuel supply has further strained the island’s already aging power infrastructure.
Authorities say efforts are underway to gradually restore electricity through smaller grid sections, though a full recovery may take time.
The crisis has also sparked public frustration, with recent protests reported in parts of the country as citizens grapple with persistent power shortages and economic hardship.
