Cuba faced a nationwide blackout on Friday after one of its major power plants collapsed, leaving millions of residents in the dark. The crisis occurred after the Antonio Guiteras thermal power plant shut down, causing a complete breakdown of the island’s grid and prompting the government to implement emergency measures, as reported by the Associated Press.
Most of Cuba’s 10 million residents were left without power, however, as officials from grid operator UNE rushed to restart several oil-producing plants to restore power. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero announced the closure of schools and non-essential industries, sending most government employees home in an effort to conserve energy.
Residents suffered shortages of food, fuel, water and medicine during the blackout. “The power went out at 8 in the morning and now it’s 5 in the afternoon and there’s no electricity anywhere,” said Luis Gonzalez, a 73-year-old retiree from Havana.
During a televised address, Marrero attributed the blackout to the “perfect storm” of aging infrastructure, rising demand and fuel shortage. He said: “Fuel shortages are the biggest factor,” pointing to problems getting limited fuel from offshore boats to power plants, exacerbated by strong winds from Hurricane Milton. The government has also blamed a US trade embargo and sanctions from the Trump administration for making it difficult to obtain fuel and spare parts needed for its oil facilities.
The power failure occurred just hours after Antonio Guiteras Plantthe largest and most efficient in Cuba, went offline. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the collapse. In response to the blackout, the government activated emergency measures to reduce electricity demand, including suspending classes and canceling recreational activities. This left residents frustrated and anxious, with many confined to their homes in the oppressive heat. Brazilian tourist Carlos Roberto Julio expressed his frustration, saying: “We went to a restaurant and they didn’t have food because there was no electricity, now we’re also without internet.”
Despite the situation, Cuban government insisted it was prioritizing efforts to restore power. President Miguel Díaz-Canel wrote to X, “We place absolute priority on addressing and resolving this highly sensitive energy case. There will be no rest until his recovery.”
As Havana fell into darkness, some areas of the capital saw the return of flashes of light, mostly in major hospitals. Although the government has begun to restore electricity to the island after the massive blackout, many Cubans continue to face challenges in their daily lives.
