Cuba's efforts to restore power to the island were derailed for a third time late on Saturday, Cuban authorities said shortly before midnight, leaving millions in the dark and raising fresh questions over the viability of the government's bid to reestablish electrical service.

Millions remain without power in Cuba for a third consecutive day as slow progress is made in restoring electricity following three major grid failures.

Many of Cuba’s power plants are outdated and inefficient; some have been in operation for over 50 years without proper maintenance. After the country’s grid collapsed when hurricane Ian hit in 2022, experts warned the government needed to urgently invest in modernizing the system.

Cubans experienced their second black out wave Saturday after government officials said they were working to restore electrical service to hospitals and crucial service centers after a grid failure on Friday.

As electricity was being restored in parts of Cuba following an island-wide blackout, a total collapse of the electrical grid occurred once again.

The electrical grid is so fragile that when Hurricane Ian went over the western tip of the island in September 2022 it took out the country’s entire electrical system, plunging Cuba into darkness for days.

A few things to know after millions of people in Cuba were left without electricity for two days when the nation's electrical grid collapsed

Cuba’s electrical grid went down Friday after one of the island’s major power plants failed, a day after a massive blackout swept across the Caribbean island and with no official estimate for when service will be restored.