This guide explains what types of backup power exist in the casas particulares (Cuba’s private guesthouses), what you can expect from each one, what happens to the water and the Wi-Fi during an outage, and exactly what to ask the host before you pay.<\/p>\n Cuba’s power system generates considerably less than the country consumes, with a deficit that in 2026 has frequently exceeded 2,000 megawatts. Through September there have been eight total collapses<\/strong> of the national grid, the most recent on September 18, with more than a full day before service was restored.<\/p>\n Outside those collapses, outages are a daily occurrence across much of the country. Havana usually fares better<\/strong> than the provinces, where blackouts of more than 60 hours in a row have been recorded, although the capital has also gone entire days without power. No one can guarantee today how many hours of electricity you will have during your stay.<\/p>\n When a host says their house “has power during the blackouts,” they can mean very different things. These are the three most common.<\/p>\n This is a gasoline or diesel generator, and it is the only option that can realistically keep an air conditioner running all night<\/strong>. A generator of around 4,000 watts powers the house almost normally. In exchange it is noisy, smells of fuel, and depends on the host being able to get gasoline or diesel, something the 2026 shortages do not always allow.<\/p>\n Private solar installations have grown a great deal since Cuba exempted the import of panels, batteries and inverters from tariffs, a benefit in force until the end of 2027. It is silent and needs no fuel, but what it can deliver depends on the size of the battery bank<\/strong>: a small installation covers lights, fans and the fridge, and only a large one can keep the air conditioning running at night.<\/p>\n An inverter<\/strong> with a battery, or a portable station such as an EcoFlow, charges while there is power and returns it during the outage. It has no trouble keeping lights, a fan, the router and phones running. It can start up an air conditioner, but with the usual household capacities it only lasts one or two hours. Do not expect a full night with the air conditioning on.<\/p>\n In Havana, most houses receive water into a cistern, and an electric pump<\/strong> raises it to an elevated tank, from where it flows down by gravity to the taps. If there is no power when the water arrives, the tank does not fill.<\/p>\n A well-prepared house has a tank of good capacity<\/strong> and a pump connected to the backup power. Ask about it specifically: a shower with no water weighs on the stay just as much as a night without air conditioning.<\/p>\n Here it pays to be clear: no house can guarantee internet during a long blackout<\/strong>. The house router runs on very little power and can hold on with an inverter, but the connection depends on ETECSA’s network, and that network also goes down.<\/p>\n During the general blackout of September 2026, most mobile phone antennas lost service, along with a good part of the fixed-line network equipment. During short, local outages the Wi-Fi usually holds up; during long ones, it is wise to plan on being disconnected for a few hours.<\/p>\n These questions separate a house that is truly prepared from one that just “has something.” Ask for the answers in writing:<\/p>\n A serious host answers without hedging. If the answers are vague, be wary. In our guide about whether casas particulares are safe in Cuba<\/a> we explain how to check the rest of the house before you pay.<\/p>\n Even if the house has good backup power, a small kit of your own will spare you some bad moments:<\/p>\n Power banks always travel in your carry-on luggage<\/strong>, never checked. Up to 100 watt-hours (a normal phone power bank) need no permission, with a maximum of two spares. Between 100 and 160 watt-hours you need airline authorization, and above 160 they are banned. A portable power station such as an EcoFlow is well above that limit: it cannot be taken on the plane.<\/p>\n Havana has the largest supply of casas particulares and, with it, more houses with a generator or a solar installation, and it also suffers fewer outages than the provinces. The casas particulares in Vedado<\/a>, Miramar and Old Havana are where you will find the most options.<\/p>\n In the provinces the situation is more uneven. If your route includes casas particulares in Trinidad<\/a>, Vi\u00f1ales or the east of the country, it is worth confirming the backup power of each house one by one. And if you are traveling to Havana, our 3-day Havana itinerary<\/a> will help you plan the visit.<\/p>\n Yes, more and more, especially in Havana. But the term is used for different things: always ask what type of backup it is and what appliances it powers.<\/p>\n A fuel generator of sufficient power, yes, if there is fuel. An inverter or a portable station only lasts one or two hours.<\/p>\n It depends on the tank and the pump. If the pump is connected to the backup and the tank is large, yes. Ask about it before booking.<\/p>\n During short outages, often yes, if the router has backup power. During long blackouts ETECSA’s own network goes down, and no house can guarantee the connection.<\/p>\n No. They exceed the 160 watt-hour limit allowed on commercial flights. You can bring normal power banks in your carry-on luggage.<\/p>\n Yes, generally the capital suffers fewer hours of outage than the provinces, although it also loses power during general blackouts.<\/p>\n Casas particulares with generators in Cuba make a real difference in a year of constant blackouts, but you need to know what you are booking. Only a fuel generator or a large solar installation can keep the air conditioning running at night. The water depends on the tank, and the Wi-Fi on ETECSA. Ask in writing and bring your own basic kit.<\/p>\n At EnCuba.net you can ask us about the backup power of the house you are interested in: we check with the host before you book. Tell us your dates and your route, and we will help you choose among the accommodation options in Havana<\/a> and across the rest of the island.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/vela-encendida-en-un-apagon.webp\")
What blackouts are like in Cuba in 2026<\/h2>\n
The three types of electrical backup<\/h2>\n
Fuel generator<\/h3>\n
![\"Two](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/generador-electrico-portatil.webp\")
Solar panels with batteries<\/h3>\n
Inverter or portable power station<\/h3>\n
Water during a blackout<\/h2>\n
And the Wi-Fi, does it work without power?<\/h2>\n
![\"Bedroom](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/habitacion-con-aire-acondicionado-en-la-habana.webp\")
What to ask the host before booking<\/h2>\n
\n
What to pack<\/h2>\n
\n
Battery limits on the plane<\/h3>\n
Where it is easiest to find houses with backup power<\/h2>\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
Are there casas particulares with generators in Cuba?<\/h3>\n
Does a generator keep the air conditioning running all night?<\/h3>\n
Is there water during blackouts?<\/h3>\n
Does the Wi-Fi work during a blackout in Cuba?<\/h3>\n
Can I bring a portable power station to Cuba on the plane?<\/h3>\n
Are there fewer blackouts in Havana than in the rest of Cuba?<\/h3>\n
In summary<\/h2>\n