CUBA POWER GRID COLLAPSES NATIONWIDE AMID DEEPENING ENERGY CRISIS

Sat 19 September 2026:

Island suffers another total blackout as aging power plants, fuel shortages and limited generation capacity strain electricity system

Cuba’s national electricity grid suffered a complete collapse on Friday, leaving the island without power as the country continues to face a severe and prolonged energy crisis.

The state-run Electricity Union, known as UNE, said the entire national system had become disconnected and that recovery procedures were immediately being activated.

“A total disconnection of the National Electric System has occurred. The protocols for recovery are already being activated,” UNE said on US social media company X.

The utility said it was investigating what caused the latest failure and would provide further information as efforts to restore electricity continued.

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Latest in a Series of Nationwide Blackouts

Friday’s outage is the latest in a series of major electricity failures to hit Cuba this year.

Authorities and international media reported nationwide blackouts in July, followed by another large-scale outage on August 2. The latest incident represents another complete shutdown of the national grid.

The collapse also follows weeks of prolonged power cuts in Havana and other parts of the country. Some neighbourhoods in the capital have reportedly experienced outages lasting more than 30 hours.

Aging Infrastructure and Fuel Shortages

Cuba’s electricity system has been under growing pressure because of the deteriorating condition of its thermal power plants, fuel shortages and limited generating capacity.

The Energy and Mines Ministry has previously linked electricity disruptions to aging infrastructure, inadequate fuel supplies and technical problems within the generation system.

Although renewable energy has provided additional electricity in some areas, thermal power stations continue to account for a substantial share of Cuba’s power generation.

Blackouts Disrupt Essential Services

The prolonged electricity shortages have extended beyond households, affecting essential services such as water distribution and telecommunications.

Repeated outages have added to economic difficulties on the island, where businesses, hospitals and public services rely heavily on an already strained electricity network.

Havana and Washington Blame Each Other

Cuba’s government has repeatedly argued that US sanctions and restrictions, particularly those affecting access to fuel, have contributed to the worsening energy crisis.

Washington, however, has attributed Cuba’s economic and infrastructure problems largely to policies adopted by the Cuban government.

With the latest nationwide collapse, authorities face the immediate challenge of restoring electricity while addressing the longer-term problems affecting the island’s aging power-generation system.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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