By Susie Violet Ward · Forbes · 11 March 2026
Cuba’s electricity grid collapsed in early March 2026 after a boiler malfunction shut down the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, removing more than half of the island’s generating capacity at its peak and leaving millions without power. The country had already suffered repeated nationwide blackouts, against a background of ageing infrastructure, reliance on imported oil and fuel shortages worsened by US sanctions.
The article looks at whether distributed energy, including local microgrids powered by solar, wind or hydro, could improve resilience. Bitcoin miners can switch off almost instantly, which allows them to absorb surplus power and release it when the grid is under pressure. Janet Maingi of Gridless describes the company’s mining-backed microgrids in rural Zambia, and Rachel Geyer of the European Bitcoin Energy Association explains how flexible demand could help Europe reach its 2030 renewable energy target.