Cuba suffers third nationwide blackout in six months as US fuel blockade tightens

What happened

Cuba’s national electricity grid collapsed completely on Monday, the state utility Unión Eléctrica (UNE) announced. The failure, described as a “total disconnection” of the power system, plunged all 9.6 million residents into darkness. UNE said it was investigating the causes. This marks the third nationwide blackout in less than six months and the eighth since late 2024, reflecting the chronic instability of the island’s energy network.

There has been a total disconnection from the national electricity generation system.

Fuel blockade tightens

The blackout comes amid a deepening fuel crisis triggered by a US oil blockade imposed in January. The blockade has halted nearly all fuel shipments, with Washington allowing only one Russian tanker carrying 100,000 tonnes of oil to dock since then. Cuba’s electricity generation relies on seven ageing thermal power plants, some over 40 years old, and a network of diesel-powered backup generators. Without sufficient fuel, those generators cannot compensate for frequent plant breakdowns and maintenance shutdowns.

Power cuts deepen

Daily power cuts have intensified sharply. In Havana, outages now last more than 30 hours at a time, while in rural provinces they can exceed 70 hours. The government has resorted to increasingly severe rationing to conserve fuel. The Guardian reports that the blockade, combined with a flurry of sanctions on Cuban state entities and foreign partners, has pushed the country closer to collapse. Shortages of food, drinking water and medicine have prompted the United Nations to warn of a humanitarian emergency.

Solar push offers partial relief

To reduce dependence on imported fuel, Cuba has turned to solar energy with Chinese support. In 2025 and early 2026, 56 photovoltaic plants were commissioned, adding over 1,000 megawatts of capacity. Solar now supplies 10% of the country’s electricity, up from 3% at the end of 2024. The government targets 15% by the end of 2026, but even that would leave the grid heavily reliant on fossil fuels and vulnerable to supply disruptions.