The Cuban regime has canceled the time change scheduled for next Saturday and announced that daylight saving time will continue uninterrupted until November 7, 2027, according to a joint informational note from the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS).
The decision breaks the annual cycle with which Cuba alternates between standard time (UTC-5) and daylight saving time (UTC-4), and means that the clocks will remain set one hour ahead throughout the winter of 2026-2027, something that was not planned in the usual calendar.
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The official statement attributes the measure to the electrical crisis facing the island, while avoiding responsibility for the regime and blaming the U.S. embargo for the "shortage of fuels for electricity generation."
According to MINEM and MTSS, keeping the clock ahead will prevent an increase in power outages of 126 MW during the peak evening demand hours: 76 MW from savings in artificial lighting and 50 MW from the harnessing of solar photovoltaic generation in that time frame.
The logic behind the measure is that by keeping daylight saving time during the winter, the official afternoon aligns with more hours of sunlight, allowing photovoltaic panels to generate energy right when demand reaches its peak.
However, the side effect is that dawn will come later according to the official time during the colder months, which will impact the morning activities of millions of Cubans.
To compensate for this, the government has decided to delay the start time for schools and workplaces by 30 minutes from November 1, 2026, until March 14, 2027, a period during which the standard time would normally have been in effect.
Entity heads must adjust schedules in accordance with the labor organization, supported by Article 223.2 of Law 189, the new Labor Code of July 30, 2026, “without affecting workers' wages,” according to the statement.
Entities that operate continuously will also be able to adjust their entry and exit shifts according to the characteristics of each activity.
The measure arrives at one of the most critical moments for the Cuban electrical system: this Saturday, the Electric Union forecasted a availability of only 915 MW against a demand of 2,850 MW, with a maximum estimated impact of 1,865 MW.
The next regular time change in Cuba will take place on November 7, 2027, when clocks will need to be set back to return to standard time.
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