Cuba's power grid collapses for third time in March, plunging 11 million into darkness

Cuba suffered its third nationwide blackout of March on Saturday after a cascade failure at the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant in Camaguey province knocked out power across the entire island. The collapse had been partially anticipated, authorities had flagged a forecast deficit of 1,704 megawatts for peak hours, yet could not be prevented. Emergency micro-grids were activated to keep hospitals and water systems running.

Cuba has received no oil imports since January 9 . The island produces barely 40 per cent of its fuel needs, and two shocks severed what remained of its supply: the US military capture of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro in January ended decades of subsidised petroleum shipments, while the Trump administration then threatened tariffs on any nation selling oil to Cuba, imposing a de facto energy blockade. Airlines have since cut flights to the island, battering an already weak tourism sector.

American University professor William LeoGrande called the grid "way past its useful life," noting that burning heavy sulphur oil as a substitute corrodes the equipment itself, while a lack of hard currency blocks spare-part imports . Cubans in Havana now endure up to 15 hours of blackouts daily ; in rural areas, the situation is worse. "You can't live like this," taxi driver Nilo Lopez said.

Diplomatically, Cuba confirmed direct talks with the Trump administration and announced it would allow foreign investment for the first time, both on the same day as Monday's previous blackout. But Havana flatly rejected any demand to remove President Díaz-Canel. Trump, meanwhile, mused from the Oval Office about "taking Cuba in some form" , while Secretary Rubio tied any embargo relief to political transformation. Díaz-Canel, receiving an international aid convoy carrying medicine, food, and solar panels, warned his government was preparing for a possible US attack.