Residents of Havana and surrounding districts are experiencing continuous power outages lasting more than 12 hours [1].
The crisis threatens basic urban functionality and public health in the capital. Prolonged darkness disrupts water pumping systems, food preservation, and essential services, exacerbating an already fragile economic environment.
According to reports, the outages stem from a critical lack of fuel and the shutdown of the central power generation plant [1]. Union Electrica and government officials said the energy failure is linked to these shortages. The situation is further compounded by U.S. sanctions, which have worsened the island's ability to maintain its energy infrastructure [1].
The disparity between current energy production and actual needs is stark. In the last 24 hours, the grid produced only 1,100 megawatts [2]. However, the required electricity generation capacity for the region is 2,800 megawatts [3].
This gap means the current deficit exceeds double the existing production capacity [4]. The suspension of the central power plant's output has left the grid unable to meet even half of the minimum demand. Residents in various neighborhoods continue to face these extended blackouts as the government struggles to secure the fuel necessary to restart generation plants [1].
Local officials said they have not provided a specific timeline for the restoration of full service, but the reliance on a failing central plant remains the primary bottleneck for the city's recovery.
“Blackouts lasting more than 12 continuous hours”
The collapse of Havana's power grid highlights the systemic vulnerability of Cuba's energy infrastructure. By operating at less than 40% of required capacity, the state demonstrates an inability to sustain basic urban utilities, which often leads to increased social unrest and a heightened reliance on informal or illegal energy markets.
