Havana – In a shocking turn of events, Cuba reported that it was producing a mere 533 megawatts of electricity late Wednesday, barely scratching the surface of the peak demand that typically hovers around 3,000 to 3,200 megawatts.

This glaring electricity shortfall, which left millions of Cubans in darkness, was triggered by a catastrophic failure of the national grid.

The National Electric Union (UNE) announced that the grid's collapse came just as the sun dipped below the horizon, engulfing large swathes of the Caribbean island in chaos.

In an effort to prioritize critical services, the government focused on restoring power to hospitals and water facilities, while schools and non-essential services remained shuttered indefinitely.

Residents in Havana witnessed some flickering lights back on, as over 260,000 customers received their electricity supply restored in sporadic bursts.

This massive blackout is the latest in a long line of power outages that have plagued Cuba, stemming largely from an aging and failing power infrastructure.

The situation has worsened dramatically this year due to a perfect storm of fuel shortages, natural disasters, and a profound economic crisis.

The ongoing reductions in oil imports from Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico have further stressed the island's outdated oil-fired power plants, pushing them to the brink of crisis.

Cuba’s power woes do not only affect the lights. Hours-long rolling blackouts have become the norm, exacerbating severe shortages of essential goods such as food, medicine, and water.

As life grows increasingly intolerable, an exodus of Cuban citizens seeking better opportunities abroad has surged to alarming levels.

The Cuban government has attributed much of the crisis to the crippling U.S. sanctions that complicate financial transactions and fuel purchases.

However, observers note that the root causes also include chronic mismanagement and lack of investment in energy infrastructure.

The blackout itself was precipitated by a failure at the Antonio Guiteras power plant in Matanzas, a crucial player in the island's energy production that went offline around 2 a.m. local time.

With several other major plants offline for maintenance, the grid was left vulnerable and ultimately collapsed.

Local resident Danielis Mora, a hotel worker in Havana, expressed frustration at the recurring blackouts.

“It’s a constant battle. Without electricity, cooking becomes an ordeal; we’re left to rely on firewood or charcoal,” he lamented.

In the wake of systemic failures, protests have emerged across the island, ignited by the public's outrage over incessant power outages and the persistent shortages of basic necessities.

October alone saw the grid collapse multiple times, influenced by dwindling fuel supplies and the impacts of Hurricane Oscar.

Further, in November, Hurricane Rafael exacerbated the situation, leading to renewed nationwide outages.

In response to the deteriorating energy crisis, the Cuban government recently issued a decree mandating that businesses generate more of their electricity from renewable sources.

Additionally, new regulations aim to curb excessive energy consumption, such as limiting air conditioning use.

With millions of Cubans left grappling with the uncertainty of darkness, the hope hangs in the balance—can the island curb this crisis, or are these challenges only the beginning of an even greater struggle?

As the nation confronts its energy woes, the world watches closely.