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Electricity has been restored to Cuba after a large-scale blackout, the country’s national electricity company (UNE) announced on Friday.
The country of over 9 million people has suffered an energy crisis since January 2026 due to an energy blockade reportedly imposed by the administration of United States President Donald Trump.
According to AFP, the island country’s energy crisis remains acute, with oil supplies depleted despite the restoration of electricity.
AFP also reported that about 65% of Cuban territory endured simultaneous blackouts on Tuesday.
Cuba’s Energy Minister, Vicente de la O Levy, told state television on Wednesday that Cuban oil reserves had “run out.”
Seven of Cuba’s 15 provinces experienced a power outage on Thursday, and the UNE announced that power had been restored on Friday. Thursday’s outage prompted public outcry.
Scheduled blackouts continued, however, and the most important of Cuba’s ageing thermoelectric plants, which support electricity generation, remained out of service following a breakdown.
A resident of San Miguel del Padrón, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Havana, told AFP that people protested by banging pots and pans on Wednesday evening. Several other similar small demonstrations were also held in neighbourhoods across Havana, according to AFP.
The Cuban government has repeatedly blamed the U.S. energy blockade for its power outages. The United States, however, has denied the allegations, insisting the crisis is the result of poor management.
Relations between Washington and Havana remain strained, with U.S. President Donald Trump imposing sanctions on Cuba and suggesting possible moves toward taking control of the island.
Despite tensions, intergovernmental talks are ongoing. A high-level diplomatic meeting took place in Havana on April 10, 2026, marking the first time a U.S. government plane had landed in the Cuban capital since 2016.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with senior Cuban officials in Havana on Thursday, with the Cuban government framing the visit as a step toward easing bilateral tensions.
