Cuba Grid Collapses Leaving 10 Million People Without Power

The national electrical grid of Cuba suffered a total collapse on July 6, 2026, leaving approximately 10 million people without electricity. The outage began following a failure at the Diezmero substation near Havana, which triggered a nationwide chain reaction. This event marks the third nationwide blackout of 2026 and the eighth since late 2024. Recovery efforts have been slow; by late Monday, only 1% of Havana's power needs were met, though that figure rose to 46% as restoration continued. Eleven of the country's 16 thermoelectric units remain offline due to breakdowns or maintenance, including a reported failure at the Antonio Guiteras plant.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel attributed the crisis to a "genocidal energy blockade" by the United States. The situation was exacerbated by a sharp decline in oil imports since January 2026, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on countries providing fuel to the island and cut off deliveries from Venezuela. These shortages have halted public transportation and forced the cancellation of thousands of surgeries.

Cuban officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Electric Union are investigating the collapse while using emergency microsystems to protect vital services. To mitigate future crises, Cuba is implementing a China-backed program to install solar parks. Despite the start of bilateral talks with the U.S., Cuban officials maintain that their political system and leadership are not subject to negotiation.