Cuba Blackouts: Deficit of Nearly 2,000 MW Marks a Critical Sunday

The energy crisis in Cuba has reached alarming levels this Sunday, March 29th, 2026. According to the official report by the Electric Union (UNE), the national electro-energy system has been operating with a generation capacity deficit uninterruptedly for the last 24 hours, a situation that persists today.

Current Status of the Electric System

For this Sunday’s peak hours, availability is estimated at just 1,043 MW against a peak demand of 2,334 MW. This results in a forecasted deficit of 1,955 MW, meaning that a large portion of the country will remain in the dark during peak consumption hours.

The magnitude of the deficit implies that approximately two-thirds of the island will be simultaneously affected by power outages. This figure approaches historical records of system instability seen in recent years.

Causes of the Energy Collapse

Several factors converge in this crisis that seems to have no immediate end:

1. Deterioration of Thermal Plants: The country’s main generating units suffer frequent failures due to decades of operation and a lack of capital maintenance.
2. Fuel Scarcity: Despite the recent arrival of Russian shipments, domestic distribution and the availability of derivatives for distributed generation remain insufficient.
3. Outage of Key Units: Currently, several units from the Mariel, Santa Cruz, and Felton Thermal Power Plants (CTE) are out of service due to breakdowns or scheduled maintenance.

Social Impact and Protests

The persistence of the blackouts, which in many locations exceed 18 and 20 hours a day, has exacerbated social unrest. During March, pots-and-pans protests (cacerolazos) have been reported in various provinces, including Havana and Ciego de Ávila, where citizens demand solutions to the lack of basic services.

The Cuban government, for its part, continues to attribute the situation to external sanctions and difficulties in acquiring spare parts and fuel in the international market.

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FAQ

1. How long will the blackouts last today? Affections are expected to persist throughout the entire 24 hours of the day, with special intensity during the nighttime peak.

2. Which provinces are most affected? While the entire country suffers cuts, provinces in the interior usually experience longer interruptions than the capital.

3. Is there hope for improvement in the short term? UNE reports that work is ongoing to recover damaged units, but the system’s instability suggests that blackouts will continue in the coming weeks.

4. What causes the deficit of nearly 2,000 MW? It is the result of multiple thermal plants being out of service simultaneously and a lack of fuel for fast-generation motors.

Sources: Granma, El Toque, CiberCuba.