Cuba's grid collapses again leaving millions without power

Cuba's electrical grid suffered a total collapse on Friday, September 19, 2026, plunging the island into darkness and leaving millions without power. The outage, which began around 2 p.m. local time, was triggered by a failure in high-voltage transmission lines in central Cuba, according to Cuban authorities. The U.S. Embassy in Havana confirmed the event in a security alert, describing it as a "total power failure due to a collapse of Cuba's electrical grid." Cuban officials stated that protocols were activated to begin a gradual restoration of the system. By late evening, power had been restored to a small number of users in Havana, primarily around hospitals, but much of the capital remained dark. Small power-distribution microislands were being established in the provinces of Camagüey, Pinar del Río, and Granma. The timeline for full restoration remained unknown. This blackout is at least the sixth nationwide grid collapse since January, according to multiple reports. The frequency of such events has increased significantly this year, with the grid collapsing three times in July alone. Rolling blackouts have since spanned 30 hours or more across most of the country.