Cuba restores power after 29-hour blackout amid U.S. oil blockade

Officials said Cuba's national grid was reconnected and its largest oil-fired plant was restarted, ending a blackout that lasted more than 29 hours. Energy officials warned generation remains below demand and Cuba and the United States have opened talks to address the crisis.

Cuba's national power grid was reported reconnected after more than a day without electricity, and authorities said the country's largest oil-fired plant was brought back online. Officials cautioned that fuel shortages and aging generation capacity mean electricity output is still below what the country needs. Many Cubans had been living with long daily outages before the nationwide collapse, and the episode unfolded amid U.S. steps to restrict fuel shipments to the island. Cuban and U.S. officials have opened talks aimed at addressing the situation. Known facts: - Energy officials reported the national grid was fully back online and that the Antonio Guiteras power plant was restarted. - The nationwide blackout lasted more than 29 hours and affected the island's population of about 10 million. - Officials said electricity generation remains below demand and that power shortages may continue. - Cuba and the United States have opened talks to try to defuse the fuel and diplomatic dispute. Summary: The reconnection of the grid and the restart of a key plant brought power back after a prolonged nationwide outage, but officials say the underlying shortfall in generation persists. Talks between Cuba and the United States are under way; details and outcomes are undetermined at this time.