Power outage hits western Cuba amid ongoing energy crisis fueled by U.S. sanctions

A large-scale blackout struck western Cuba on Wednesday, leaving millions without power. The outage affected areas from Camagüey to Pinar del Río, including Havana, according to the U.S. Embassy in Cuba.

The embassy said the power outage occurred around 12:41 p.m. due to a disconnection of the national electrical grid. It attributed the incident to an unexpected shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, located about 62 miles east of Havana. Local reports indicated the island may need at least three days to restore power, the Associated Press reported.

Vicente de la O Levy, Cuba’s minister of energy and mines, said officials are working to restore the system amid a complex energy situation. He noted that at least one plant, Felton 1, remains operational.

Cuba has faced ongoing power outages caused by aging infrastructure and fuel shortages, worsened in January after a U.S. military operation halted Venezuelan oil exports, Cuba’s main fuel source. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that his government would not negotiate with Washington despite the energy crisis.

Many residents have installed solar panels or backup generators to maintain electricity during outages. Some traffic lights and businesses continue to operate using solar power or generators, Reuters reported. The situation underscores the ongoing impact of U.S. sanctions, which Cuban officials say have crippled the country’s energy supply.

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