Cuba blackout hits nationwide grid again

Cuba’s national electricity system disconnected on Monday, triggering the island’s third nationwide blackout since the start of 2026, the state power utility said. Reaction pending. The outage adds to a deepening infrastructure and fuel crisis on the island of 9.6 million people.

Cuba grid strain deepens

The utility said there had been a total disconnection from the national generation system and that officials were investigating the cause. The latest failure is the eighth islandwide blackout since late 2024, following years of deterioration across a grid built largely around aging Soviet-era power plants.

Power cuts had already lengthened before Monday’s collapse, with restrictions lasting more than 24 hours in parts of Havana and more than 70 hours in some rural areas. Officials have cited a lack of fuel for generators that support the national grid after a January US oil blockade under President Donald Trump sharply limited tanker arrivals.

The government has tried to reduce the pressure by investing in solar energy, but officials say solar still accounts for about 10% of the energy mix. If fuel deliveries remain constrained, Cuba faces a higher risk of repeated grid failures, worsening shortages of food, water and medicine, and heavier geopolitical pressure as the United Nations warns of a humanitarian emergency. Officials’ next restoration updates are expected through Monday night, July 6, 2026.