Cuba hit by record blackout as 72% of island loses power amid deepening energy crisis

Record-breaking outage

On Sunday, Cuba's state power company Unión Eléctrica forecast that 72% of the island would lose electricity during peak hours, surpassing the previous record of 71% set on Friday. Peak demand is estimated at 3,100 megawatts, while available generation capacity is just 1,000 MW, leaving a deficit of 2,200 MW and expected interruptions of 2,230 MW.

Grid collapse and causes

Ten of the country's 16 thermoelectric units are offline due to breakdowns or maintenance. The Antonio Guiteras plant, Cuba's largest generator, has suffered repeated outages. Over 100 diesel generators and several floating power plants are also idle because of fuel shortages. Thermoelectric plants account for 40% of the energy mix, with diesel and fuel oil generators providing another 40%, and gas and renewables the remaining 20%.

Government response and fuel crisis

The Cuban government has described the energy situation as "acute", "critical", and "extremely tense". Parts of Havana have endured 20 consecutive hours without electricity. The crisis has been ongoing since mid-2024 and intensified in January 2026 after the United States tightened its oil blockade. Cuba needs 100,000 barrels of oil per day but produces only 40,000 domestically.

The energy situation is acute, critical, and extremely tense.

Long-term structural decay

Independent studies estimate that overhauling Cuba's energy system would cost between 8 billion and 10 billion euros. The grid suffers from chronic underinvestment, obsolete equipment, and the loss of subsidized oil from Venezuela, which ended in early 2026. Analysts note that Cuba's inability to attract foreign investment, due to its poor credit history and centralized economic model, has left it unable to modernize.