Cuba's electrical grid collapses, plunging the island into darkness

A nationwide power outage strikes, exacerbating an already dire situation in Cuba.
Text: Óscar Ontañón Docal
Published 2025-03-15

As night falls over the Caribbean, Cuba finds itself in the grip of a deepening crisis. Late on Friday, the nation's fragile electrical grid suffered a catastrophic failure, plunging the capital Havana and much of the island into darkness.

The collapse, traced back to a malfunction at a substation in Havana, knocked out power across the western region. While a few places managed to stay operational with backup generators, reports from across Cuba painted a grim picture of widespread outages.

This latest failure marks another chapter in a long-running saga of grid instability, compounded by shortages of fuel, natural disasters, and an ongoing economic crisis. For now, it remains to be seen what steps will be taken to restore power to the millions affected.

The city is without electricity and in darkness. Every day the electricity is turned off to save money. No electricity for several hours. Trinidad, Cuba, Caribbean. January 26, 2024

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