Millions of people across Cuba experienced a massive power outage on Wednesday after a critical failure at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, one of the nation’s largest energy facilities. The Cuba power outage plunged the capital Havana and western regions into darkness, affecting areas from Pinar del Rio to Camaguey. According to government radio station Radio Rebelde, the shutdown was caused by a boiler leak at the plant located approximately 62 miles east of Havana.
Cuba’s energy minister Vicente de la O Levy confirmed via social media that authorities were prioritizing power restoration to critical infrastructure, including hospitals and medical clinics throughout the affected regions. The US Embassy in Cuba issued warnings to American citizens, advising them to prepare for significant disruptions and conserve essential supplies including fuel, water, food and mobile phone batteries.
Gradual Power Restoration Efforts Underway
By Wednesday afternoon, Cuban officials reported that crews had restored electricity to approximately 2.5% of Havana, representing around 21,100 residents. However, authorities emphasized that restoration efforts would proceed gradually based on system conditions and capacity.
Additionally, by Thursday morning the Energy Ministry announced that the national electrical grid had been reconnected across the island, from Guantanamo in the east to Pinar del Rio in the west. Power generation facilities were being brought back online in stages to prevent further system overload.
In Havana specifically, local utility EELH reported that 22 substations and 102 distribution circuits had been restored, accounting for roughly 36% of the capital city. The utility company indicated that the recovery process would continue gradually as national grid conditions permitted.
Second Major Blackout in Three Months
This Cuba power outage marks the second widespread electrical failure to hit the Caribbean nation in just three months. In early December, a nearly 12-hour blackout occurred after officials said a transmission line fault between two power plants caused an overload, leading to the collapse of the western sector of the energy system.
The latest power crisis comes amid severe challenges facing Cuba’s electrical infrastructure. The country has been grappling with a crumbling electric grid, generation deficits and recurring interruptions in fuel supplies that have strained the system’s capacity.
Impact of US Embargo and Fuel Shortages
Meanwhile, the situation has been exacerbated by strict oil and fuel embargo measures imposed by the Trump administration last month. International charities have characterized the resulting oil shortage as contributing to a humanitarian crisis on the island.
The country has experienced dwindling oil reserves following disruptions to critical petroleum shipments from Venezuela. These supply interruptions occurred after US military actions involving Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in early January halted fuel deliveries from South America.
In contrast to decades of policy, the Trump administration has intensified economic pressure on Cuba. Last month, President Trump signed an executive order imposing trade tariffs on countries that export oil to Havana, extending the existing trade embargo that has been in place since 1962.
International Response and Criticism
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the expanded embargo measures. Experts accused the US of committing a serious violation of international law and posing a grave threat to democratic and equitable international order.
However, Mexico and Canada have responded by sending humanitarian aid to Cuba in the wake of the embargo. Despite this assistance, the nation continues to face mounting infrastructure challenges and energy security concerns.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham recently suggested that the Cuban government could be targeted by US military action, while President Trump mentioned the possibility of a “friendly takeover of Cuba” without providing specific details. Cuban authorities have not confirmed when the Cuba power outage will be fully resolved or whether additional restoration timelines have been established for remaining affected areas.