19-09-2026
Cuba experienced another nationwide power-grid collapse on Friday, leaving millions without electricity and only about 5% of Havana connected. The Energy Ministry announced a “total disconnection of the electrical system,” while the state-run utility Unión Eléctrica (UNE) attributed the outage to transmission-line failures and unstable weather. It was described as Cuba’s seventh nationwide blackout of 2026 and its 12th since late 2024.
The blackout is part of a worsening crisis involving fuel shortages, aging infrastructure and unreliable electricity generation. Havana has experienced outages lasting more than 30 hours, while some provinces have gone without power for over 60 hours. The disruptions have affected water distribution, cooking-gas supplies, telecommunications and transportation, intensifying hardships for Cuba’s population of more than 9 million.
Residents quoted by AFP and AP described a deteriorating situation in which food, water, cooking gas and electricity are increasingly scarce. An independent study released during the week estimated that 66% of Cubans now live in poverty, compared with 45% in mid-2025, largely because of rising food prices.
The article links the energy crisis to Cuba’s dependence on imported fuel and replacement parts for its aging power plants. Havana blames US sanctions and restrictions imposed in January, including an oil embargo that has limited access to fuel and maintenance supplies. The administration of US President Donald Trump argues instead that the outages demonstrate the failures of Cuba’s state-run economic model. Trump has also made what the article describes as scarcely veiled threats to take over the island.
Overall, the report presents the blackout as both an immediate humanitarian emergency and a manifestation of Cuba’s broader economic and political crisis, while outlining the competing explanations offered by Havana and Washington.
Entities: Cuba, Havana, United States, Donald Trump, Cuban Energy Ministry • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
19-09-2026
Fox News reports that Cuba suffered a nationwide power failure on Friday after the country’s electrical grid collapsed. The U.S. Embassy in Havana confirmed the blackout and said Cuban regime media reported that the cause was under investigation, with no timetable available for restoring electricity. The embassy warned U.S. citizens in Cuba or planning to visit that cellphone and internet service may also be disrupted and advised them to plan accordingly.
The embassy described Cuba’s electrical system as increasingly unstable, noting that the island has experienced multiple nationwide outages in recent months. It said the system remains vulnerable, with scheduled power cuts occurring every day and unscheduled outages becoming more frequent and lasting longer. Cuba’s energy ministry also acknowledged the outage on social media.
The article attributes Cuba’s deteriorating power situation to fuel shortages, what it calls a U.S.-imposed oil blockade, and aging or crumbling infrastructure. Even outside nationwide blackouts, millions of Cubans reportedly face rolling outages. The article says Friday’s blackout was the seventh national outage of the year and came only one month after the previous island-wide failure.
Photographs accompanying the report show Havana streets and buildings darkened during the outage, including a bicycle taxi traveling through the city and people gathered in an unlit lobby. The report emphasizes the continuing vulnerability of Cuba’s electrical system and the effects of prolonged energy instability on residents, communications, and travelers.
Entities: Cuba, Havana, U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuban electrical grid, Cuba’s energy ministry • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
19-09-2026
Cuba’s national electrical grid suffered a total collapse on September 18, plunging the island into darkness and leaving millions without electricity. Authorities said the failure began around 2 p.m. local time after high-voltage transmission lines in central Cuba malfunctioned. Felix Estrada, an official with the National Electrical Union, said protocols had been activated to gradually restore power. By late evening, electricity had returned to a small number of Havana neighborhoods, particularly areas near hospitals, but much of the capital remained without power amid cloudy and rainy conditions.
The blackout was at least the sixth partial or total grid collapse in Cuba since January. Residents, already accustomed to prolonged power cuts, described widespread exhaustion and frustration. Frank Lorenzo, a 23-year-old Havana resident, said he had endured a 24-hour outage before receiving electricity for only one hour, after which the national grid failed again.
Cuba’s power system has been weakened for years by aging generating equipment, deteriorating infrastructure and fuel shortages. The article reports that a US-imposed oil blockade beginning in January has sharply worsened the crisis by restricting fuel supplies to the island. Cuba experienced three grid collapses in July, while rolling blackouts have subsequently lasted 30 hours or more in much of the country.
United Nations human rights experts have condemned the oil blockade, calling it a violation of international law. They warned that the increasingly severe shortages and power cuts risk turning Cuba into a “silent Gaza.” The latest collapse underscores the depth of the island’s energy crisis and the severe impact of unreliable electricity on daily life, public services and residents’ ability to cope with heat and shortages.
Entities: Cuba, Havana, Cuba's National Electrical Union (UNE), Felix Estrada, Frank Lorenzo • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
