Cuba plunged into islandwide blackout as power crisis worsens, in photos

HAVANA, Cuba (AP) — Cuba’s power grid collapsed again on Saturday leaving the country without electricity for a third time in March as deepening energy and economic crises continue to strain a crumbling power grid.

The Cuban Electric Union said the blackout was caused by a failure of a generating unit at the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant in Camagüey province.

It was the second blackout in the past week and the third this month. Cuba has blamed the crisis partly on a U.S. energy blockade.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

An electric tricycle transports customers during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Children look at their phones while sitting on the Malecón wall during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People spend the night on the Malecon during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A vendor lights her way with a battery-powered lamp while waiting for customers on the Malecón during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People spend the night in the dark on the Malecon during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People walk on a street during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People are seen waiting in a car in the dark during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A motorcyclist transports a customer with a television in a box during a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People play dominoes outside during a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A man charges his phone and his fan with a solar panel during a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A picture of Cuba's late Fidel Castro and Venezuela's late Hugo Chavez hang outside a building next to electric wires during a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A bread vendor holds a cell phone up to his ear during irregular connectivity due to a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A girl plays in the doorway of the building where there is an art installation related to the Cuban Revolution, during a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People watch the sunset from the Malecón during a blackout in Havana, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People walk on a street during a blackout in Havana, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A man rides a scooter past a wrecked car and garbage during a blackout in Havana, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People wait to take public transportation during a blackout in Havana, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People wait their turn to buy bread during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Hairdressers style the hair of their clients in the open air during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A street vendor tends to a customer on the Malecón during a blackout in Havana, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People walk outside during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A vehicle drives down a street during a blackout in Havana, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A man enters his building during a blackout in Havana, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A woman receives a donation from Mexico at a state-run bodega during a blackout in Havana, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A man finishes putting fuel in his car's tank, located in the back of the car, during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People lounge on a porch during a blackout in Havana, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A man gives a girl a spoonful of soup on a street during a blackout in Havana, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Street vendors chat during a blackout in Havana, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A vehicle drives down a street during a blackout in Havana, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Street vendors chat on the Malecón during a blackout in Havana, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

SEATTLE (AP) — All Vinnie Pasquantino needed was a few days of rest, a morning walk around Seattle and a warm, sunny day at T-Mobile Park to get back on track for the Kansas City Royals.

Pasquantino had two hits — including a solo homer — two RBIs and two runs in his return to Kansas City’s lineup against the Seattle Mariners after sitting out the previous two games because of lower back tightness. He batted third and played first base in the Royals' 7-6 win.

“I told them yesterday, I want in,” Pasquantino said. “And I’ll let them know if anything changes.”

His single to right field drove in Kansas City’s opening run in the first inning. He then belted his fourth home run of the season in the sixth off Bryan Woo on a 2-0 count, a Statcast-projected 404-foot blast into the second deck in right. It gave the Royals a 5-3 lead before Jac Caglianone followed with a solo home run to right.

Pasquantino said it has been an issue he has dealt with for a while after he was removed in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game. He also appeared in the ninth inning and hit a game-ending flyout in Thursday’s 6-3 loss to the Athletics.

“We hope that he’s not going to have to deal with it the whole season,” manager Matt Quatraro said before Friday’s game. “But he’ll probably feel it for a handful of days before it resolves.”

But it felt good in Friday’s win.

“We’ll see how it feels in about an hour when all the adrenaline comes down,” Pasquantino said.

Pasquantino, 28, is off to a slow start this season for Kansas City, batting .176 with three doubles, 16 RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 30 games.

Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino hits an RBI single to score Maikel Garcia against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)