Cuba’s National Grid Collapses, Millions Left Without Power

Cuba was plunged into darkness on Wednesday following the collapse of its national power grid, the latest in a series of widespread outages that have hit the island in recent months.

The blackout occurred at about 9:14 a.m. local time after the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, one of the country’s largest, went offline. The shutdown triggered a total failure of the National Electric System, leaving nearly 10 million people without electricity.

The Energy Ministry and National Electric Union confirmed the incident, adding that emergency crews had been deployed to restore supply. However, no clear timeline has been given for when power will be fully restored.

Wednesday’s incident is the fourth or fifth nationwide blackout in less than a year, underscoring the fragile state of Cuba’s electricity grid. Authorities blame the recurrent failures on aging infrastructure, persistent fuel shortages, and U.S. sanctions that have restricted access to parts and investment in new technology.

For ordinary Cubans, the latest collapse has added to daily struggles.

In recent months, residents have faced rolling blackouts lasting up to 16 hours, forcing many to turn to firewood and charcoal for cooking. Social media was flooded with complaints and expressions of anger, with some citizens describing life as a constant “race against the clock” to meet basic needs.

The government has promised long-term solutions, including renting floating power plants and expanding renewable energy, but progress has been slow.

For now, restoration work is ongoing as the island battles yet another nationwide outage.