Cuba's Power Grid Collapses as Island-Wide Blackout Hits 11 Million
Cuba's national electrical grid suffered a complete collapse on Monday, March 16, plunging the entire island of approximately 11 million people into darkness. The Ministry of Energy and Mines confirmed the "complete disconnection" of the electrical system and said restoration protocols had been activated.
The blackout is the third major grid failure in four months and comes after more than 90 days without significant oil shipments. Before the collapse, Cuba's grid was operating at just 1,140 megawatts against a national demand of 2,347 megawatts — less than half capacity.
The crisis traces directly to the January 3 US military intervention in Venezuela that removed President Nicolas Maduro from power. Venezuela had previously supplied approximately 35,000 barrels per day — roughly 50 percent of Cuba's oil needs. Mexico, which had been supplying 22,000 barrels daily, halted shipments on January 27 under US tariff pressure.
On January 29, President Trump signed an executive order imposing oil sanctions and tariffs on countries providing fuel to Cuba, citing Cuban support for "hostile countries." Only two small oil-carrying vessels have arrived in Cuba in all of 2026, according to Reuters ship-tracking data.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed on March 13 that Cuba had not received oil shipments in over three months and acknowledged holding talks with the US administration — the first public admission of such meetings. He stated the country was operating on solar power, natural gas, and thermoelectric plants.
The humanitarian toll has been severe. Tens of thousands of surgeries have been postponed. Food spoilage from lack of refrigeration is widespread. Before the total collapse, residents in Havana experienced 10 or more hours of daily blackouts, while those outside the capital endured up to 20 hours without power.
The UN Secretary-General expressed "extreme concern" over the situation, with the UN warning of possible humanitarian "collapse" if Cuba's oil needs go unmet. Cuba produces only about 40 percent of its petroleum domestically, with 84 percent of its energy mix dependent on petroleum.
Skip York of Rice University's Baker Institute noted that "energy — whether it's oil or electricity — is the lifeblood of any country. The fuel situation in Cuba will worsen rapidly, creating enormous pressure on government."
An early March breakdown at the Antonio Guiteras power plant, Cuba's largest facility, had already left two-thirds of the country without power for over a day, triggering protests across the island. The current total grid collapse represents a dramatic escalation of the ongoing crisis.