Cuba Restores Power After Fourth Nationwide Grid Collapse

The Cuban national electrical grid suffered a total collapse on Friday, July 10, 2026, marking the fourth nationwide blackout of the year and the second in one week. The failure was triggered by a malfunction in a 220 kV transmission line between Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus, leaving approximately 9.6 million people without power. At the height of the crisis, available power was only 935 MW against a demand of 3,100 MW.

Miguel Díaz-Canel, President of Cuba, attributed the crisis to an aging grid and a "genocidal oil blockade" imposed by the United States. He asserted that the U.S. is the actual threat to stability. Recovery efforts were slowed by a voltage collapse in the western microsystem and chronic fuel shortages, which officials linked to sanctions tightened by U.S. President Donald Trump in January 2026. By Saturday night, only 12% of households in Havana had electricity, fueling protests in Guanabacoa where demonstrators called for an end to the government.

The Cuban Electric Union managed the gradual synchronization of power units, including Energás Jaruco, to stabilize the system. Full reconnection was announced by 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 12, though officials warned that stability remains precarious. This event is part of a broader trend of system instability, with eight or nine total collapses occurring over the past 24 months.