Cuba's national electric grid collapsed on Saturday (March 21) for the second time in a week amid the U.S.-imposed oil blockade, officials announced, as the communist government struggles to keep the lights on for its 10 million people with decrepit infrastructure.

"At 18:32 (2232 GMT), a total disconnection of the National Electric Power System occurred. We will continue to provide updates," the state utility Union Electrica said on social media.

This incident marks the third major power outage this month, as a majority of the system went down on March 4 when a major thermoelectric generating plant failed. The power grid also went completely offline on Monday for unexplained reasons.

Cuba has experienced a series of major or total outages in recent years, but two total failures in the space of a week is exceptional.

Havana resident Yoan Diaz expressed frustration with the recurrent outages. "Now that the SEN (National Electro-energetic System) has gone down again, and far too frequently at that, the truth is, I don't really even know what can be done anymore," Diaz said.

The impact of the blockade, coupled with existing economic issues, has deepened discontent among Cubans. "Life doesn't change; we're stuck in the same rut," said another resident, Leoni Alberto. "Cooking with firewood twice a week—it's madness."

U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed an oil blockade on the Caribbean island after Washington deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, removing him from the country to face drug-trafficking charges in an early morning raid. Venezuela had been Cuba's most important benefactor, providing oil to its close ally on favourable terms. Since then, Trump has cut off Venezuelan exports to Cuba and threatened other countries with punitive tariffs if they sell oil to Cuba.

Cuba has long blamed the U.S. trade embargo for economic failures including its failing power grid, while Washington in turn has attributed the failures to Cuba's Soviet-style command economy.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

HAVANA, CUBA (MARCH 21, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

1. VARIOUS OF STREET WITH TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE DURING BLACKOUT

2. VARIOUS OF RESIDENT TRYING TO CALL TAXI DURING BLACKOUT

3. STOREFRONT DURING BLACKOUT

4. PEOPLE WALKING ALONG DARK STREET

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HAVANA RESIDENT, YOAN DIAZ, SAYING:

“Normally, during blackouts, you’d sometimes charge your cell phone, or manage to charge a thing or two for a little while, and then you’d just pass the time there talking and such. But now that the SEN (National Electro-energetic System) has gone down again, and far too frequently at that, the truth is, I don't really even know what can be done anymore. People usually just wander around out on the street, chat a bit... and honestly, I think that’s about the most you can do. But anyways...”

6. AVENUE WITH TRAFFIC DURING BLACKOUT

7. PEOPLE WALKING ALONG AVENUE DURING BLACKOUT

8. PEOPLE STANDING IN FRONT OF LIT-UP CAFETERIA ALONGSIDE AVENUE DURING BLACKOUT

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HAVANA RESIDENT, LEONI ALBERTO, SAYING:

“Life doesn't change; ultimately, we're stuck in the same rut. We aren't going to move forward; we're just going to stay right here, at a standstill. Twice a week, cooking with firewood... it's absolute madness. There's no other way around it; it's just the hand we've been dealt. A solution is unlikely; we've been stuck in this same situation for 60 years. It is not going to change.”

10. PEOPLE ON STREET DURING BLACKOUT

11. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR TAXIS ON STREET DURING BLACKOUT

12. AVENUE WITH TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIANS