Cuba Faces Third Nationwide Blackout in March Amidst Energy Crisis

HAVANA — Cuba experienced a complete power grid collapse on Saturday, leaving the entire country without electricity for the third time this month. The outages are occurring as the Cuban government struggles with a deteriorating infrastructure and the ongoing effects of a U.S. Oil blockade, exacerbating an already severe energy crisis.

Cause of the Outage

The Cuban Electric Union, reporting to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, initially announced the total blackout without specifying a cause. Later reports indicated the outage stemmed from an unexpected failure of a generating unit at the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant in Camagüey province. According to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, this failure triggered a cascading effect across the online machines.

Restoration Efforts and Impact

Authorities are working to restore power, activating “micro-islands” of generating units to provide electricity to critical facilities such as hospitals and water systems. However, power outages, both nationwide and regional, have become increasingly common over the past two years due to breakdowns in aging infrastructure and fuel shortages. Saturday’s blackout marked the second in the past week and the third in March.

These blackouts significantly disrupt daily life for Cubans, leading to reduced work hours, difficulties with cooking, food spoilage due to non-functioning refrigerators, and even the cancellation of surgeries in some hospitals.

Fuel Shortages and External Factors

President Miguel Díaz-Canel has stated that Cuba has not received oil shipments from foreign suppliers for three months. The island nation currently produces only about 40% of the fuel it needs to sustain its economy. MSN

The Cuban government attributes the energy crisis not only to its aging grid but also to a U.S. Energy blockade. This follows a warning from former U.S. President Donald Trump in January regarding potential tariffs on countries selling or providing oil to Cuba, demanding the release of political prisoners and political/economic liberalization in return for lifting sanctions. Trump also suggested the possibility of a “friendly takeover of Cuba.”

the reduction of petroleum shipments from Venezuela, a former key ally, has contributed to Cuba’s fuel shortages.

International Aid Arrives

Amidst the crisis, Cuba is receiving international aid. A humanitarian convoy, the “Nuestra America” or Our America Convoy, arrived on Friday, March 20, 2026, bringing approximately 20 tons of humanitarian assistance. The convoy included around 650 delegates from 33 countries and 120 organizations. AP News

Activists from CODEPINK were among those delivering aid, holding signs as part of the convoy. AP News