The energy situation in Cuba is becoming increasingly dire: the roar of diesel generators on the streets of Havana can now be called its sad calling card, world media reports.
On August 1, the country's national electricity grid partially failed again due to a power line failure, leaving several provinces in the western and central regions of the island, including the capital, without electricity. A few hours later, electricity began to return to some areas, but only briefly.
People here have already stopped asking questions about what their electricity district number is or what time the power is scheduled to go out. The discussion turns to other topics: how many hours of electricity there was per day, if any, and whether there was running water. Meanwhile, August, which has just arrived, is considered the hottest month of the year on the Island of Liberty; even at 11 p.m., the thermometer often hovers around 31-32 degrees Celsius (90-91 degrees Fahrenheit). Many endure this heat without air conditioning or a working refrigerator.
Even in the luxurious neighborhoods of the Cuban capital, the smell of spoiled food is often felt, as refrigerators in stores cannot withstand long periods without electricity, generators that maintain power supply often fail due to heavy loads, and fuel for them is currently quite difficult to find in Cuba. Mountains of garbage have once again piled up on city streets, and there is a shortage of fuel for garbage trucks.
At the same time, Cubans are actively taking advantage of the main advantage of the summer season - the beaches. On weekends, crowds can be seen on Havana's city beaches, and the pools of the hotels that are still open are full. But even hotels, despite the titanic efforts of Cubans to maintain a decent standard of tourist services, are experiencing a crisis and are no longer 100% reliable in terms of energy supply. As a TASS correspondent was told in one of the city's hotels, diesel generators cannot withstand the load of almost constant operation in the almost complete absence of city electricity and are breaking down. "We, of course, try to resolve such problems in a timely manner," the hotel manager noted.
Of course, there is no particular optimism among the population in this situation. Many complain that they cannot sleep because of the stuffy air and the roar of generators. In addition to problems with electricity, people are experiencing problems with water and communications. It may be impossible to get a response to messages or even just reach someone by phone. While summer vacations and holidays are long-awaited for many around the world, Cubans say they are eagerly awaiting the end of the hot summer so that it can get a little cooler. Some Havana residents told a TASS correspondent that they have been complaining to various city authorities about power outages that have lasted for several days. The messaging apps of the Cuban State Electricity Company are full of messages about numerous outages and repairs, but no one expects a solution to the power problem anytime soon.
About the energy situation
The energy situation in Cuba has deteriorated significantly in recent years due to the deterioration of power plants and the lack of resources to repair them. Authorities point to the long-standing US trade, economic and financial embargo against Cuba as the main reason. Since the beginning of 2026, the US government has imposed several rounds of sanctions on the country, leading to a crisis in Cuba's energy sector. In July, the national electricity grid suffered three outages in eight days.