Western Cuba faces blackout as government seeks to update energy grid

"For hours, millions of residents remained in the dark as the government worked to restore power to an area that spans from the westernmost province of Pinar del Rio to Mayabeque, just east of Havana. Throughout the morning, officials sought to reassure the public that electricity would soon be restored. Following the power outage in western Cuba, the workers at [the Ministry of Energy and Mines] immediately began restoration efforts, which are already under way,"

"Cuba's National Electric System (SEN) is ageing. Much of the power grid is considered outdated, with a heavy reliance on fossil fuels from sources like Venezuela. Most of the infrastructure also dates to the Cold War era. It saw a leap in construction in the 1980s, and by 1989, the grid was expanded to reach 95 percent of all households."

"But power outages have been a regular source of consternation in Cuba and a symptom of its crumbling electrical grid. In 2024 alone, at least five major power grid failures disrupted life on the island, sparking rare protests against the government in cities like Santiago de Cuba. The trend of repeated outages has continued into 2025, with a major blackout in September blamed on a malfunctioning thermoelectric plant."

A blackout in western Cuba began around 5am local time (10:00 GMT) and was declared restored at about 1:26pm (18:26 GMT). Millions of residents from Pinar del Rio through Mayabeque experienced hours without power while workers carried out restoration efforts. Officials communicated updates and sought to reassure the public as crews worked. Repeated outages have occurred frequently, with at least five major grid failures in 2024 and continued disruptions into 2025, including a September blackout blamed on a thermoelectric plant malfunction. The National Electric System relies on ageing, Cold War–era infrastructure and heavy fossil-fuel imports, prompting recent investments in renewables.

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