Trending 
Electricity was restored in Cuba on Wednesday after a nationwide blackout left millions without power, marking the country’s third total outage in less than 10 days.
The national power grid collapsed at about 11:05 a.m. local time on Tuesday after a fault at a thermoelectric plant triggered a sudden change in grid frequency, according to the state-run electricity company, UNE.
Power was gradually restored overnight, but by about 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, only around 24 per cent of households in the capital, Havana, had electricity.
Unión Eléctrica de Cuba (UNE) said restoration efforts were continuing as conditions within the national grid allowed.
“Restoration is being carried out gradually, as permitted by the National Electric System,” UNE said.
The latest outage was the fifth nationwide blackout recorded in Cuba this year.
Residents expressed frustration over the recurring disruptions, with many fearing food spoilage and worsening living conditions. Some also voiced concerns that the country’s prolonged energy crisis had eroded public morale.
Power restoration has been slowed by persistent fuel shortages, with previous blackouts taking more than a day to resolve nationwide. In some provinces, residents waited several days before electricity was fully restored.
Cuba has been grappling with its worst economic crisis in decades, with officials blaming worsening fuel shortages and difficulties maintaining the electricity system.
Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy said the country’s power challenges had been aggravated by United States measures that had restricted fuel supplies and access to spare parts, leaving the government struggling to keep power plants operational.
“This situation is mainly due to the state of our electrical system, exacerbated by the decisions of the United States,” Vicente de la O Levy said on Tuesday at a press conference.
“We are practically living through a war,” he said, adding that there is a “total absence of fuel” and the government cannot obtain spare parts for its plants.
Relations between Havana and Washington have deteriorated this year following tighter US sanctions and restrictions targeting Cuba’s energy sector and state-owned businesses, further straining the island’s fragile economy.
