Cuba experienced another island-wide power outage on Wednesday morning, marking the fifth total blackout in less than a year, as the country's deteriorating energy infrastructure continues to falter.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the outage was triggered by a malfunction at one of the island's largest thermoelectric power plants. Crews have been dispatched to construct a temporary microsystem to restore basic services, with hospitals and food production prioritized.

The blackout hit around 9 a.m. local time, plunging cities including Havana into darkness. With traffic lights down and water pumps offline, daily life was once again severely disrupted. Residents reported cooking with wood and charcoal and leaving work early to prepare for the blackout.

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero addressed the nation via state television, urging patience and promising a gradual return of power.

Cuba's energy and economic crisis, exacerbated by US sanctions, has left the government unable to modernize its ageing power infrastructure, much of which is over 30 years old. The country has attempted to mitigate shortages by leasing Turkish floating power ships and deploying Chinese-funded solar parks, but these measures have not prevented repeated grid failures.

The recurring outages have sparked rare public protests, particularly in Santiago, and deepened frustration among citizens already facing economic hardship.