Officials in Cuba reported an islandwide blackout on Monday (March 16, 2026) within the nation of some 11 million folks as its power and financial crises deepen and its energy grid continues to crumble.
The Ministry of Vitality and Mines on X famous a “full disconnection” of the nation’s electrical system and mentioned it was investigating, noting there have been no failures within the items that had been working when the grid collapsed.
Lázaro Guerra, the Ministry’s Electrical energy Director, instructed state media late on Monday (March 16) that crews had been making an attempt to restart a number of thermoelectric crops, that are key to restoring energy. (Textual content: AP)
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Reuters
Metropolis lights throughout a blackout, leaving round 10 million folks with out energy amid a U.S.-imposed oil blockade, in Havana on March 16, 2026. Whereas Cuba produces 40% of its petroleum and has been producing its personal energy, it hasn’t been enough to fulfill demand as its electrical grid continues to crumble.
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RAMON ESPINOSA
Individuals stroll on a road throughout a blackout in Havana on March 16, 2026. A large outage over per week in the past affected the island’s west, leaving tens of millions with out energy. One other main blackout affected western Cuba in early December.
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AP
Road distributors chat on the Malecón throughout a blackout in Havana on March 16, 2026. This was the third main blackout in Cuba over the previous 4 months.
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AP
Individuals stroll on the road throughout a blackout in Havana on March 16, 2026. President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday (March 13) mentioned that the federal government has needed to postpone surgical procedures for tens of hundreds of individuals.
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Reuters
Gladys Valdes, 76, prepares espresso in the course of the blackout, in Havana on March 16, 2026. “Cuba proper now’s in very dangerous form,” President Donald Trump mentioned, a day after Cuba’s third nationwide blackout in 4 months because the socialist island’s economic system suffers underneath U.S. sanctions.
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Reuters
Individuals sit on the facet of a road throughout a blackout. The federal government additionally has blamed its woes on a U.S. power blockade after President Donald Trump in January warned of tariffs on any nation that sells or gives oil to Cuba.
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Reuters
An individual stands on a balcony throughout a blackout as Cuba’s nationwide electrical grid collapsed, in Havana on March 16, 2026. The Trump administration is demanding that Cuba launch political prisoners and transfer towards political and financial liberalisation in return for a lifting of sanctions.
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Reutes
A motortaxi drives on a road throughout a blackout, in Havana on March 16, 2026. William LeoGrande, a professor at American College who has tracked Cuba for years, mentioned the nation’s power grid hasn’t been maintained correctly and its infrastructure is “well past its regular helpful life.”
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Reuters
Individuals collect on a road throughout a blackout as Cuba’s, in Havana on March 16, 2026. President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday (March 13) mentioned the island had not obtained oil shipments in three months and was working on solar energy, pure gasoline and thermoelectric crops.
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Reuters
A person makes use of a flashlight throughout a blackout as Cuba’s, in Havana on March 16, 2026. State-owned media reported that by late on March 16, 2026, energy had been restored to five% of residents within the capital, Havana, representing some 42,000 clients.
Photograph:
Reuters
A view of Havana metropolis with the Nationwide Capitol constructing within the background, as Cuba reconnected its electrical grid throughout a lot of the island, based on the Vitality and Mines Ministry, in Havana, Cuba on March 17, 2026. Cuba’s Ministry of Vitality and Mines mentioned on X that the island had restored {the electrical} system within the western city of Pinar del Rio and the southeastern province of Holguin and that some “microsystems” had been starting to function in varied territories.
Revealed – March 18, 2026 12:52 pm IST