Cuba has been hit by worsening power outages after the island's communist government said fuel reserves had run out. They're relying on limited domestic fuel production and solar energy to keep parts of the grid operating.

Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness on Thursday in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns. Demonstrations over the blackouts broke out in western areas near Havana. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said during a late Wednesday news conference that they have no fuel, oil, and no diesel.

The island, home to about 10 million people, is struggling to secure fuel imports. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel blames the worsening crisis on US sanctions. He says the country is expected to face a deficit of more than 2,000 megawatts during the evening's peak demand hours. It's a significant challenge, as the island's power grid can't meet the demand.

A resident of San Miguel del Padron, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Havana, told the AFP news agency that people protested the power cuts by banging pots and pans on Wednesday evening. Several other small protests were held in neighbourhoods across the capital to express widespread frustration. They're frustrated with the frequent outages, and they're demanding a solution.

The situation of the National Electric System has become particularly tense in recent days, said Diaz-Canel in a statement on Wednesday. About 1,100 megawatts of power generation had already been lost on Wednesday due to fuel shortages. This loss of power generation has had a significant impact on the island's electricity supply.

The island's energy crisis worsened in January after the United States tightened restrictions on fuel shipments to Cuba, which officials in Havana describe as an oil blockade. Only one Russian tanker has reportedly reached the island since then. The island has already been struggling with economic stagnation and chronic shortages of food, medicine, and basic goods. They can't import enough fuel to meet their needs, and it's causing a lot of problems.

In some parts of Havana, residents have endured outages lasting more than 19 hours a day. Blackouts in several provinces have stretched through entire days. Cuba's electricity system depends on eight ageing thermoelectric plants, some operating for more than 40 years. These plants frequently break down or must be taken offline for maintenance. They're old and unreliable, and they can't provide a stable power supply.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio renewed an offer of $100m in aid for Cuba, on the condition that the assistance be distributed through the Catholic Church rather than the Cuban government. Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on social media that they're ready to hear the details of the proposal and how it would be implemented. They're willing to consider the offer, but they want to know more about it.

  • Cuba has been hit by worsening power outages after the island's communist government said fuel reserves had run out.
  • The island is relying on limited domestic fuel production and solar energy to keep parts of the grid operating.
  • Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness on Thursday in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns.
  • Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said they have no fuel, oil, and no diesel.
  • The island, home to about 10 million people, is struggling to secure fuel imports.

Cubans have endured repeated nationwide blackouts since 2024, while fuel prices have soared amid the deepening crisis. The situation is very tense, and the impact of the blockade is causing significant harm, said Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy. US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Havana this year, and he's suggested that Cuba could eventually become the next target of US efforts to force political change on the island. The US government won't provide aid directly to the Cuban government, and it's causing a lot of tension between the two countries. They don't agree on how to resolve the crisis, and it's unclear what will happen next.