Cuba Restores Power After 29-Hour Nationwide Blackout Amid Fuel Crunch

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Havana: Cuba restored electricity nationwide on Tuesday evening after a massive blackout left the island in darkness for more than 29 hours, as officials continue to grapple with a worsening fuel shortage.

Authorities said the national grid was fully reconnected by 6:11 p.m. local time, though power generation remains insufficient to meet demand, raising the likelihood of continued outages.

The crisis comes amid tightening U.S. restrictions on fuel supplies. Donald Trump has recently escalated pressure on the communist-run island, including measures aimed at cutting off oil shipments.

A U.S. State Department official blamed the blackout on government mismanagement, calling it a sign of systemic failure. But Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected the criticism, accusing Washington of intensifying economic pressure and issuing threats against the country.

Cuba has not yet identified the cause of the grid collapse, its first since U.S. actions disrupted oil supplies from Venezuela and deterred fuel shipments.

Efforts to stabilise the grid included restarting the Antonio Guiteras power plant, the country’s largest oil-fired facility, which plays a critical role in electricity generation.

Despite the restoration, Cuba continues to face severe energy shortages due to aging infrastructure and limited fuel imports. Even before the outage, residents were enduring daily blackouts lasting up to 16 hours.

The situation has disrupted essential services, including food storage and water supply, adding to the strain on households across the island.

Cuba has received only limited oil shipments this year, further deepening the crisis. However, a Hong Kong-flagged tanker believed to be carrying fuel resumed its journey toward the island this week.

Meanwhile, Havana and Washington have opened talks to ease tensions, though details remain unclear. Both sides have signaled willingness to negotiate, but key disagreements persist over economic and political conditions.