A widespread power outage occurred in Cuba on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. The outage affected millions of people across Havana and western and central regions of Cuba. It was triggered by a shutdown at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant due to a boiler leak and fire.
5% of Havana by late afternoon. According to an energy official, full recovery may take at least 72 hours. Critical infrastructure like hospitals is prioritized for power restoration.
The outage is attributed to chronic energy grid fragility and aging infrastructure. It is also linked to fuel shortages exacerbated by reduced Venezuelan oil deliveries. S.
economic restrictions. Some observers cite decades of underinvestment as a cause of the outage. Daily prolonged outages are common in Cuba.
Impacts of the outage include fuel rationing. Impacts also include airport closures due to aviation fuel shortages. Flight suspensions and diversions have occurred.
Disruptions to transport, healthcare, and tourism are reported. S. Embassy warns of significant disruptions and advises conservation of resources.
Similarly, the UK FCDO warns of significant disruptions and advises conservation of resources. The Antonio Guiteras plant, located in Matanzas, is one of Cuba's largest energy facilities and has been a focal point in previous grid failures. S.
intervention in Venezuela in early 2025. This has led to a pattern of collapses, including five partial blackouts in less than six months prior to March 2026. Daily blackouts of up to 20 hours were already common in some regions by early 2026, severely impacting economic activity and public services.
The outage's impacts extend beyond immediate power loss, affecting sectors like tourism, which is vital to Cuba's economy. S. economic restrictions and Venezuelan oil supply issues contributing to the crisis.
The Cuban government faces challenges in managing the grid's fragility and aging infrastructure. As restoration efforts continue, the focus remains on stabilizing critical services and addressing the root causes of the energy crisis. Research findings indicate that discussions about the scope of the outage may refer to different events.
For instance, some reports describe outages affecting near two-thirds of national territory, which aligns with blackouts in early 2024. In contrast, the March 2026 event specifically affected western and central regions, as confirmed by sources like France 24 and Power Magazine. This distinction shows that Cuba has experienced a series of blackouts of varying scopes from 2024 through 2026, with the March 2026 incident being part of an ongoing pattern.