Havana.- Cuba ended the year 2025 mired in a deep energy crisis, managing to cover only 50% of the national electricity demand, a situation that directly affected more than nine million inhabitants and worsened the deterioration of living conditions on the island.
According to data from the Cuban Electric Union (
UNE), between January and December 2025 the national electric system registered an average daily deficit of 1,643 megawatt hours (MWh) compared to an estimated demand of 3,300 MWh. The actual generation availability was around 1,670 megawatts, a trend that has continued during the first weeks of 2026.
Blackouts of up to 20 hours
The crisis resulted in prolonged blackouts, which in several provinces exceeded 20 hours a day, especially during peak consumption hours. The UNE recently warned that simultaneous outages could affect up to 57% of the country during peak hours, when demand reaches 3,150 megawatts and generation barely reaches 1,400, forcing the disconnection of large areas to avoid major collapses.
The situation has directly impacted daily life. Testimonials collected by The New York Times reflect the anguish of the population in the face of food loss and the paralysis of basic activities. “Yes, many hours without electricity, 14, 15 hours. That terrifies you, because the food can spoil,” said Odalis Reyes, a seamstress residing in Old Havana.
Obsolete infrastructure and limited solutions
The Cuban electrical system relies on eight thermoelectric plants, mostly inaugurated between the 1980s and 1990s, now affected by constant breakdowns and prolonged maintenance shutdowns. This obsolescence has prevented an adequate response to growing demand.
As an alternative, the Government promoted the development of renewable energies, mainly solar, in 2025. During the year, 40 photovoltaic parks were installed, which increased the daily generation from between 300 and 400 MWh to more than 3,000 MWh in December. However, the lack of storage batteries limits the use of this energy during the night, when consumption reaches its highest levels.
Economy in decline and massive exodus
The energy crisis occurs in a context of strong economic contraction. According to official figures, the Gross Domestic Product fell more than 4% in the third quarter of 2025, while the economy accumulated a contraction of more than 15%, accompanied by high inflation and increasing shortages of food, medicine, and basic services.
The ruler himself, Miguel Díaz-Canel, publicly acknowledged the urgency of “correcting distortions and reactivating the economy” to guarantee stability, sufficient wages, and access to essential goods.
Social deterioration has also driven an unprecedented exodus. Demographer Juan Carlos Albizu-Campos estimated that some 2.75 million Cubans emigrated since 2020, which would have reduced the country’s effective population to less than nine million people.
Affected productive sectors
The lack of electricity has also hit key sectors such as nickel mining and tourism, where factories and services have had to suspend operations during blackouts. The tourism recovery remains slow, with less than two million annual visitors, well below the four million recorded before the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the population faces the start of 2026 marked by uncertainty, amidst an energy crisis that continues without structural solutions in the short term.
