Cuba power crisis 2026: 22-hour blackouts, fuel reserves

Havana, Cuba — May 12, 2026 Cuba's energy system has collapsed into crisis, with officials confirming the complete depletion of diesel and heating oil reserves amid blackouts lasting up to 22 hours daily in parts of Havana. ## Critical Fuel Shortage Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy stated bluntly: "Wir haben keine Reserven" ("We have no reserves"), revealing the country's fuel stocks have been fully exhausted. In interviews with state media, he emphasized the severity: "Wir haben absolut keinen Brennstoff und absolut keinen Diesel" ("We have absolutely no fuel and absolutely no diesel"). The minister described Cuba's electricity grid as being in a "kritischen" ("critical") state, with blackouts intensifying dramatically this week. Public services across the Caribbean island, home to nearly 10 million people, have effectively ground to a halt. ## Solar Power Failures Despite installing 1,300 megawatts of solar capacity over the past two years, much of this renewable energy potential is being lost due to grid instability. The photovoltaic infrastructure, while significant, has failed to offset the fuel crisis crippling conventional power generation. Officials noted the electrical network remains constantly near collapse, unable to reliably distribute even the solar energy being produced. This comes as Cuba faces what the minister called an unprecedented fuel supply emergency. ## International Supply Crisis Since December 2025, only one major oil tanker — the Russian-flagged "Anatoli Kolodkin" — has delivered crude oil to Cuba, arriving in April 2026 through Moscow's assistance. "Seit Dezember habe lediglich der russische Tanker 'Anatoly Kolodkin' im April einmal Rohöl geliefert" ("Since December, only the Russian tanker 'Anatoly Kolodkin' delivered crude oil once in April"), officials confirmed. Minister Levy stated Cuba remains open to fuel purchases from any willing seller: "Kuba ist offen für jeden, der uns Treibstoff verkaufen will" ("Cuba is open to anyone who wants to sell us fuel"). However, he cited global oil and transport price spikes linked to geopolitical conflicts as compounding the crisis. ## Public Impact and Response The energy collapse has severely impacted basic services, with officials stating it undermines "das Recht des kubanischen Volkes auf Entwicklung" ("the right of the Cuban people to development") and their access to "Rechte auf Nahrung, Bildung, Gesundheit sowie Wasser und sanitäre Einrichtungen" ("rights to food, education, health as well as water and sanitation"). In Havana, residents have taken to chanting protest slogans including "Schaltet das Licht ein" ("Turn the lights on") and "Das vereinte Volk wird niemals besiegt werden" ("The united people will never be defeated"). The demonstrations highlight growing frustration as blackouts stretch through most of each day across the capital.

Cuba Faces Total Fuel Collapse as Blackouts Reach 22 Hours Daily

Critical Fuel Shortage

Solar Power Failures

International Supply Crisis

Public Impact and Response