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Cuba has been plunged into an unprecedented blackout after all of its electricity suddenly collapsed on Monday, leaving an estimated 10 million citizens in the dark.
“At 1:54 p.m. local time, there was a national power outage that led to a blackout throughout Cuba, including the city of Havana,” said the US Embassy in Cuba.
The nationwide disruption comes just two days after a large crowd of protesters, frustrated by the island’s power crisis, was caught on camera storming the headquarters of the Communist Party of Cuba, looting the building and attempting to set it on fire.
Power restoration efforts are currently underway across the island, with reports indicating that power is slowly returning to some areas.
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A woman and her son show a car on a black road during a power outage in the municipality of Bauta, Artemisa province, Cuba, on March 18, 2024. (Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images)
“The causes are being investigated and restoration procedures are beginning to be carried out,” said the Ministry of Energy and Mines of Cuba on Monday afternoon, referring to the interruption of the National Electrical System of Cuba.
Cuba’s electricity grid has grown shaky over the years due to aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and economic restrictions that have limited the country’s access to energy resources — including Washington’s long-standing oil embargo and recent US actions that have disrupted oil exports to Venezuela, a key source of the nation’s energy.
Power outages have become common throughout the country, disrupting water supply, refrigeration and communications.
“The officials in the US government must be very happy about the damage caused to all Cuban families,” the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba. Carlos F. de Cossio said in response to the power outage on Monday.
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Neya Perez, 86, paints the nails of her neighbor Reyna Maria Rodriguez, 77, during a nationwide blackout, in Havana, March 4, 2026. (Norlys Perez/Reuters)
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said on Friday that no fuel has entered the country in the past three months. Since then, electricity generation has become more dependent on “large contributions from renewable energy sources.”
The complete collapse of the electric grid came as officials announced updates to their solar panel project in Villa Clara, describing it as a “national security necessity” amid continued restrictions on fuel imports under the Trump administration.
“Amid severe power problems and ongoing economic shutdowns, #Cuba is taking another strong step towards electricity governance,” Villa Clara Electric Company said Monday morning.
“This communication comes at a critical time: Washington maintains strict limits on our country’s access to fossil fuels, financing and technology. Betting on renewables is not just environmental — it’s a national security imperative.”
As the island continues to experience power outages, residents have been urged to prepare for major disruptions and remove all non-essential items, “only essential equipment remains operational until stability is restored,” Villa Clara Electric Company said.
A family has dinner amid the darkness after Hurricane Ian in Havana on September 28, 2022. (Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)
Last Saturday, in a rare display of public discord fueled by frustration over the widespread power outages, anti-government protesters in Cuba reportedly targeted the Communist Party office by throwing stones, shouting “liberty” and lighting large fires at the scene.
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The rally, captured on video, began peacefully in the town of Morón late Friday but escalated within hours, Reuters reported, citing local sources.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Reuters contributed to this report.
