Cuba's Grid Collapse Leaves 10 Million Without Power

Cuba suffered a total collapse of its national electrical grid on Monday, July 6, 2026, leaving the entire island of approximately 10 million people without power. The state electricity company, Unión Eléctrica, announced the complete disconnection of the national system shortly after noon and said an investigation into the cause was underway. Recovery efforts began immediately, though authorities did not provide a timeline for full restoration, prioritizing critical infrastructure such as hospitals.

The nationwide blackout marks the latest and most severe event in a protracted energy crisis. Officials and reports describe a system buckling under the strain of aging, Soviet-era thermal power plants, widespread technical failures, and acute fuel shortages. Ten of the country's 16 major thermal generation units are reportedly out of service. The crisis has been exacerbated by a de facto U.S. blockade on oil shipments, which the Cuban government says has prevented fuel imports since January except for a single Russian delivery. This has left the country reliant on domestic crude, which covers only about 40 percent of demand.

The energy deficit has crippled daily life. In recent...