The Electrical Company of Havana reported a wave of circuit trips and faults that resulted in widespread power outages affecting residents across almost every district of the capital. These incidents were detailed in updates on their official Telegram channel on Sunday morning.
Neighborhoods such as Playa, Lisa, Guanabacoa, Arroyo Naranjo, 10 de Octubre, Plaza de la Revolución, Centro Habana, Habana del Este, Boyeros, and Cotorro, among others, experienced interruptions. The causes ranged from damaged transformers to overloaded substations and broken primary lines.
One of the hardest-hit areas was the 10 de Octubre district, where the Naranjito Substation overloaded, cutting power to neighborhoods like Víbora, Santos Suárez, Sevillano, Mónaco, Vista Alegre, and San Mariano.
In Centro Habana and Plaza de la Revolución, a circuit trip darkened the area between Monte and Malecón, as well as between Prado and Galiano, including parts of Zapata, 19 de Mayo, and Almendares.
Habana del Este faced multiple outages throughout the day. Initially, areas such as Ampliación de Marbella, Guanabo, Bello Monte, and Villa del Mar went dark. Later, another trip left zones 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, and Micro X powerless, compounded by a transformer fault in Cojímar.
Boyeros experienced at least two distinct circuit failures, impacting neighborhoods like Trigal, Parajón, García, El Cuervo, El Trébol, 1ro de Mayo, La CETEL, Porvenir, and Adelaida.
This situation unfolded just two days after the fourth nationwide blackout of Cuba's National Electroenergy System in 2026, which occurred on Friday, July 10th. A failure in the 220 kV line between Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus triggered a cascading disconnection that left nearly 10 million people without power in just 35 minutes.
Although the Electric Union announced at 6:30 AM on Sunday that the system was reconnected across the island, this technical reconnection does not guarantee stable power. By midday on Saturday, July 11th, only 12.6% of Havana's customers had electricity, and the western microsystem collapsed again during the early hours, necessitating a complete recovery protocol restart.
The avalanche of failures stems from a structural crisis decades in the making. Cuban thermoelectric plants, some between 40 and 60 years old, have gone without comprehensive maintenance. The country has not received regular oil shipments for over three months, and there are only three transformer repair workshops—in Havana, Villa Clara, and Manzanillo—completely overwhelmed and lacking available parts.
On July 8th, Cuba recorded its largest energy deficit in history: 2,341 MW, with just 935 MW available against a demand of 3,100 MW, affecting 73% of the population simultaneously.
Meanwhile, public discontent is mounting. On Saturday, July 11th, in Guanabacoa, a loud pot-banging protest with chants of "Freedom!" and "Down with the dictatorship!" erupted in the neighborhood of La Hata after more than 33 consecutive hours without electricity, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the July 11th protests in 2021.
In June 2026, there were 107 street protests recorded in Cuba, a historic high and nearly double the previous peak, indicating that frustration from the blackouts and shortages has surpassed any threshold of tolerance.
Understanding Power Outages in Havana
What areas in Havana were affected by the power outages?
Neighborhoods like Playa, Lisa, Guanabacoa, Arroyo Naranjo, 10 de Octubre, Plaza de la Revolución, Centro Habana, Habana del Este, Boyeros, and Cotorro, among others, experienced power outages.
What triggered the recent power outages in Havana?
The outages were caused by issues such as overloaded substations, damaged transformers, and broken primary lines.
How severe was the nationwide blackout in Cuba?
The nationwide blackout left nearly 10 million people without power in just 35 minutes, following a failure in a 220 kV line.