Cuba Suffers Second Total Power Collapse in One Week

Cuba suffered a total collapse of its national electric system on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. local time. This event marked the second nationwide blackout within a single week, following a similar collapse on Monday that was resolved by Wednesday. The National Electric Union attributed Friday's failure to a transmission line malfunction connecting the provinces of Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus. This is the fourth national collapse this year, following a pattern of systemic failures dating back to October 2024.

Manuel Marrero Cruz, the Prime Minister of Cuba, linked the energy failures to an energy blockade. The crisis is fueled by aging infrastructure and a critical shortage of oil, as the country produces only 40% of its required fuel. This shortage intensified after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs in January on any nation selling oil to the island, which resulted in only one oil tanker reaching Cuba by late March.

In response to the failing power grid and lack of fuel for public buses, hundreds of thousands of Cubans have adopted Chinese-made Vedca electric tricycles. These vehicles, costing between $2,000 and $4,000, are used for waste collection and transporting goods, with many owners installing solar panels on the awnings to bypass the strained grid. Meanwhile, the broader economic crisis has led to power rationing exceeding 24 hours and the cancellation of tens of thousands of medical surgeries.