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Camilo Cienfuegos refinery
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Camilo Cienfuegos refinery

Cuba's largest oil refinery, in Cienfuegos province; restarted April 2026 on Russian crude

Camilo Cienfuegos refinery is Cuba's largest oil refinery, which restarted on Russian crude on 17 April 2026 and cut the national grid deficit by roughly 20 per cent.

Last refreshed: 17 July 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics

Key Question

How does one refinery restarting determine whether Cuba has electricity?

Timeline for Camilo Cienfuegos refinery

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Background

Camilo Cienfuegos refinery is Cuba's largest petroleum processing facility, in Cienfuegos province on the island's southern coast. It has a design capacity of approximately 65,000 Barrels Per Day but has operated well below that level for years due to maintenance backlogs, feedstock shortages and equipment deterioration. It was built with Soviet assistance in the 1980s and partially modernised with Venezuelan investment in the 2000s under the ALBA energy cooperation framework, and is operated by CUPET, the state oil company.

The refinery is the primary source of refined fuel for Cuba's electricity generators, road transport and industrial base, so prolonged outages translate directly into grid deficits and blackouts across the island. Its feedstock now depends on Russian crude delivered by Sovcomflot tankers under OFAC General Licence 134B, meaning its operational status doubles as the clearest single indicator of Cuba's energy trajectory: each restart or shutdown determines whether the grid holds or collapses into extended blackouts.

Key Issues
Grid dependency

Refinery status sets Cuba's blackout timing

The refinery restarted on 17 April 2026 after four months offline, running on crude delivered by the Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, and cut the National Grid deficit to 1,395 MW, producing four blackout-free days in Havana. Cuba's Energy Minister warned at the time that fuel would run out by end April and that a delay to the next Russian tanker would force a shutdown within roughly 12 days .

By 5 May the Guiteras plant had failed again and the deficit reached 1,680 MW, and by 14 July, with Felton unit 1 tripping, the national deficit had widened to 2,020 MW with no reserve margin Left. The refinery's throughput, tied to Russian crude arrivals under OFAC General Licence 134B, remains the single variable that determines whether those shortfalls stabilise or deepen.

Common Questions
How long did the April 2026 Cienfuegos refinery restart last?
The April restart was partial and short-lived. Energy Minister de la O Levy warned publicly that the fuel from a single ship would last only until end of April. By 4 May 2026, Díaz-Canel admitted the Russian crude was 'already running out' and Cuba had 'no certainty about the arrival of another shipment,' while the Universal tanker was drifting 1,000 nautical miles away.Source: event 3081
How does Cuba's refinery affect its power grid?
The Cienfuegos refinery is the primary domestic source of refined fuel for Cuba's thermal power stations. Each time it shuts down, fuel for generators runs out within weeks and grid deficits expand. The April 2026 restart reduced the deficit by 337 MW; when the crude ran out and the Antonio Guiteras plant also failed in May, the deficit returned toward 1,680 MW.Source: entity background
Why did the Cienfuegos refinery restart in April 2026?
The refinery restarted on 17 April 2026 after roughly four months offline, when Russian crude delivered by the Sovcomflot tanker Anatoly Kolodkin arrived under OFAC General Licence 134B. Cuba's Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy announced the restart cut the National Grid deficit from 1,732 MW to 1,395 MW within days.Source: event 2845
Where does Cuba get oil for its refinery?
As of 2026, the Cienfuegos refinery runs on Russian crude delivered by Sovcomflot tankers using OFAC General Licence 134B sanctions cover. Cuba's own production is negligible; Venezuelan deliveries have become unreliable.Source: event
Who built the Camilo Cienfuegos refinery?
The refinery was originally built with Soviet assistance in the 1980s and was partially modernised with Venezuelan investment in the 2000s under the ALBA energy cooperation framework. It is operated by CUPET, Cuba's state oil company.Source: entity background
Source Material
Cienfuegos Oil Refinery