State-run Electric Union reported an island-wide blackout Monday, cutting power across Cuba and leaving roughly 10 million people affected while officials investigated the cause.
Fuel reserves have been draining since January, and Cuba’s aging grid has been deteriorating, forcing intentional outages that can last more than 24 consecutive hours.
Cuba produces only 40% of the fuel it needs, and 730,000 barrels delivered by a Russian tanker in late March were exhausted by the end of April.
The energy crunch has already halted much public transportation and led officials to cancel tens of thousands of surgeries.
Monday’s outage followed a nationwide blackout in mid-March and an eastern Cuba blackout in mid-May, underscoring a deepening power crisis on the island.
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2026 Cuban Energy Emergency: Nationwide Blackouts, Fuel Scarcity, and International Standoff
Overview
In July 2026, Cuba faces a severe energy crisis, with widespread blackouts and acute fuel scarcity disrupting daily life across the island. This crisis is driven by Cuba’s heavy reliance on imported fuel and intensified by ongoing international sanctions, making the country vulnerable to supply disruptions. The situation has led to recurring nationwide grid collapses and significant power outages, including a major 29-hour blackout caused by both fuel shortages and equipment failures. These challenges highlight the fragility of Cuba’s power infrastructure and the profound impact of external pressures on the nation’s ability to meet its basic energy needs.