Cubas power grid collapses again, leaving 9.4 million without electricity amid fuel shortages and aging plants
Cuba’s national power grid collapsed for the seventh time this year on Friday, leaving the island’s 9.4 million people without electricity as authorities activated recovery protocols. The state utility UNE confirmed a “total disconnection” of the system and said crews were investigating the cause, with restoration efforts ongoing into Saturday .
The blackout is the latest in a series of nationwide failures tied to Cuba’s aging thermal power plants and chronic fuel shortages. The Energy and Mines Ministry has attributed the crisis to deteriorating infrastructure and an inability to meet demand, with thermal plants—still the backbone of the grid—unable to compensate for the deficit .
Fuel shortages have worsened since January, when U.S. sanctions effectively blocked oil imports. Venezuela, once Cuba’s primary supplier, halted shipments after the U.S. detained former President Nicolás Maduro in a January military operation. Washington also threatened third countries with penalties for exporting fuel to Cuba, further tightening supply .
Before Friday’s collapse, UNE had projected only 1,110 megawatts would be available during peak demand, far below the 3,200 megawatts needed. Recent outages in Havana and other regions lasted up to 30 hours, disrupting water supplies, telecommunications, and essential services . Partial power was restored late Friday in priority areas, including near hospitals and water pumps, but much of the capital remained without electricity .
Follow us for live European news
- 1
- 1
- 1
2 further sources not geolocated
Articles
Cubas national power grid suffers total disconnection The Electricity Union announced Friday that Cubas national power grid suffered a total disconnection, leaving the island without electricity as the state utility activated recovery protocols and launched an investigation into the latest collapse of the aging system, which has been plagued by fuel shortages and repeated failures this year.
yenisafak · about 1 hour ago
7. Stromausfall in diesem Jahr: Stromnetz auf Kuba bricht erneut zusammen US-Ölembargo, marode Kraftwerke: Die Energiekrise auf Kuba spitzt sich zu. Rund 9,4 Millionen Menschen haben keinen Strom. mehr...
taz.de · about 1 hour ago
Millions without power in Cuba as electrical grid collapses again Cuba was plunged into its seventh massive blackout of the year on Friday. The island of over nine million people endures constant power cuts due to the poor state of its aging thermoelectric plants – but the situation has worsened significantly since January, when Washington imposed a de facto energy blockade on the island. Story by Shirli Sitbon.
france24 · about 1 hour ago
Na Kubi več milijonov ljudi ostalo brez elektrike. Država se spopada z ameriško blokado. Na Kubi, ki se spopada z ameriško zaporo dobave goriva, je v petek več milijonov ljudi ostalo brez električne energije. Kubansko ministrstvo za energijo je sporočilo, da se je električno omrežje "povsem izključilo".
rtv slovenia · about 2 hours ago
Ismét összeomlott Kuba elektromos hálózata Idén már sokadjára omlott össze részben vagy teljesen az ország elektromos hálózata, miközben egyre hosszabbak az áramszünetek.
telex english · about 2 hours ago