Cuba endures third nationwide blackout in ten days amid U.S. fuel embargo

On Tuesday a sudden frequency change in a generating unit in the eastern province of Holguín caused Cuba’s national power grid (SEN) to collapse, leaving the island’s 9.6‑10 million residents without electricity. It is the third total blackout in less than ten days and the fifth since the start of 2026. Restoration protocols activated “micro‑islands” to supply priority sites such as hospitals and food‑processing plants, with partial power returning to Havana and several provinces by afternoon.

The outages occur against a backdrop of a deepening energy crisis. Since January the United States has imposed an oil embargo that has cut fuel supplies, and Cuba now produces only about 40 % of the oil it needs, forcing reliance on costly imports. The aged thermal‑power infrastructure, much of it dating from the 1960s‑80s, is prone to failure, and the fuel shortage has worsened system stability. Repeated blackouts have halted public transport, disrupted water and communications services, and sparked protests in Havana where residents banged pots demanding lights. U.S. officials blame Cuba’s government for the failures, while Havana blames the U.S. blockade.