Cuba's power grid fails, plunging millions into darkness

Cuba experienced a major power outage impacting over 10 million residents on March 14, 2025, following a collapse of its electric grid. The event began around 8:15 p.m. local time when a failure occurred at the Diezmero substation on the outskirts of Havana. This incident triggered a significant loss of generation capacity throughout western Cuba, resulting in the failure of the National Electric System. After the outage, many areas reported not only darkness but also disruptions to internet service and daily routines, leading to anxiety among residents about food spoilage and the duration of the blackout. By Saturday morning, March 15, officials announced that the vast majority of the country remained without power, marking the first widespread blackout of the year and the fourth in the last six months. The grid operator indicated that electricity generation had plummeted to around 225 megawatts, which constituted less than 10% of the total demand required to maintain essential services like hospitals and water supply. Efforts were initiated to restore power, but the authorities remained vague about the timeline for complete recovery. The recurring blackouts Cuba has faced over recent years can largely be attributed to an aging electrical infrastructure and severe fuel shortages, growing worse due to a long-standing economic crisis exacerbated by international sanctions. The country’s thermal power plants, many built decades ago, suffer frequent mechanical failures, contributing to an unreliable energy supply. In February 2025, authorities were forced to suspend activities for two days to avert further widespread outages due to mounting energy demands. The repercussions of the nationwide outage extend beyond immediate inconveniences to residents; Cuba's struggles with its energy infrastructure often fuel public discontent and have led to anti-government protests in previous years. As authorities seek solutions, including the installation of solar parks to diversify the energy supply, the long-term viability of Cuba’s electricity generation remains a critical issue as economic conditions continue to decline. Discussions in international forums, particularly the United States, heighten as calls for regime change resurface amidst ongoing governance issues.