Cuba Power Crisis Deepens as Sanctions and Grid Decay Leave Millions in Dark
Cuba faces a severe energy crisis with blackouts lasting up to 23 hours a day. Residents rely on homemade antennas and charcoal pasteurization to survive amid US oil sanctions and a 60% drop in tourism.
The energy crisis in Cuba has reached unprecedented depths, forcing millions of residents across large parts of the island to live without electricity for up to 23 hours a day. This severe power shortage has compelled citizens to devise creative survival strategies and pushed local businesses to revert to pre-industrial working methods.
Survival Innovations in the Dark
In the town of Carabio, located about an hour's drive from the capital Havana, 22-year-old Dian Marrero has turned the daily struggle of living without electricity into a content creation career. Marrero regularly publishes videos demonstrating practical solutions to cope with the prolonged blackouts.
One of his most popular innovations is the construction of homemade cellular antennas, which have become a common sight across the island. Residents attach their mobile phones to these makeshift signal boosters to secure reception and maintain contact with the outside world.
The crisis has also severely impacted local commerce. On a small farm on the outskirts of Viñales, Osnel Corrales's family continues to process dairy products even though their industrial generator is mostly idle due to fuel shortages. Speaking to the American network CNN, Corrales explained how they adapted by pasteurizing milk over charcoal embers.
Farmer Osnel Corrales stated:
"We cannot stop milking the cows. We continue to produce cheese and yogurt even when we cannot sell fresh milk."
For many Cubans, adapting to the crisis requires extreme lifestyle adjustments. Many now schedule their lives around the brief windows when power is restored, waking up in the middle of the night to cook, wash clothes, or contact relatives. During peak summer heat, with air conditioners and fans rendered useless, some residents resort to sleeping outdoors on rooftops or in courtyards.
Economic Collapse and Sanctions
These blackouts are symptomatic of a broader, severe economic crisis gripping Cuba. Approximately 40% of the country's population currently lives in extreme poverty, struggling to secure basic goods.
Furthermore, the tourism sector, a vital source of foreign currency for the island, has plummeted. In the first five months of 2026, Cuba welcomed only about 360,000 tourists, representing a decline of nearly 60% compared to the same period in the previous year.
Infrastructure Decay and Geopolitical Pressure
Cuba's electrical grid is highly antiquated, suffering from decades of underinvestment and neglected maintenance. While power outages have been common for years, the situation has deteriorated sharply in recent months, marked by repeated collapses of the national grid.
This structural decay is compounded by intense American pressure on Cuba's oil supply. The administration of US President Donald Trump has targeted fuel shipments to the communist government in Havana, demanding political and economic reforms. This fuel scarcity cripples not only power plants but also backup generators, public transport, and essential services.
US diplomatic and economic maneuvers have successfully disrupted Cuba's primary energy lifelines. Following the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January—Havana's closest regional ally—Venezuela's oil shipments to the island ceased. Subsequently, Mexico also halted its oil exports to Cuba under pressure from Washington, leaving the island with an obsolete grid and dwindling fuel reserves.
