Cuba's Power Crisis Disrupts Electricity Supply and Telecom Services

Cuba is confronting a severe electricity shortfall, with the national grid offering only about 1,000 MW against a peak demand of more than 3,000 MW. The deficit translates to power cuts affecting over 60 % of the country during peak hours, with some provinces experiencing blackouts lasting up to 85 hours. Key generation units remain offline due to technical failures and fuel shortages, and diesel‑fuel scarcity has taken more than 1,200 MW out of service.

The electricity crisis is crippling the island’s telecommunications. ETECSA officials warned that its network cannot stay operational for more than 24 hours without grid power. Approximately 47.5 % of mobile radiobases and 56.5 % of land‑line cabinets lack backup power, leaving millions of mobile and internet users without service. The company has accelerated the deployment of solar‑powered backup stations donated by China, but the installed capacity provides only seven to eight hours of support, far short of the required duration. Theft of solar panels and regulatory limits on battery recharging further hamper recovery efforts.