Cuba faces second island‑wide blackout in a week as US fuel blockade deepens crisis

On Friday, July 10, 2026, Cuba’s state‑run utility Unión Eléctrica de Cuba (UNE) reported a total disconnection of the national electric system at 16:30 local time, marking the second nationwide outage within five days and the fourth of the year. The blackout followed a similar collapse on Monday and is the ninth such event since late 2024.

Authorities activated emergency recovery protocols, with the Ministry of Energy and Mines stating that “protocols are being activated to begin the recovery process.” Technicians are restarting three key thermal plants – Nuevitas Block 6, Céspedes Block 4 and the Antonio Guiteras plant – using decentralized microsystems to restore power to hospitals, telecommunications and food‑preservation facilities.

The crisis is tied to severe fuel shortages caused by the United States’ energy blockade instituted in January 2026, which has halted most oil shipments to the island. Cuba relies on aging Soviet‑era thermal plants and diesel‑powered backup generators, many of which are over 40 years old and prone to failure. The shortage has forced the government to accelerate solar projects, yet renewable sources still account for only about 18 percent of electricity consumption.

The outages have led to widespread hardship: food spoilage, disrupted medical services, water supply cuts, and scattered “pot‑banging” protests in Havana reminiscent of the 2021 demonstrations. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned that the fuel restrictions are “directly harming Cubans, especially the most vulnerable.” A recent study also highlighted severe anxiety, depression and stress among the population due to prolonged blackouts.