Cuba’s national electricity grid has collapsed for the second time in less than a week, leaving much of the island without power and further exposing the country’s deepening energy crisis.
The latest failure followed a problem on a transmission line between the provinces of Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus. Cuba’s Electric Union said emergency procedures were activated to begin gradually restoring the system.
The outage is the fourth major nationwide blackout recorded in Cuba in 2026. The country has struggled with ageing power infrastructure, fuel shortages and limited generating capacity.
The causes of the wider energy crisis remain politically disputed. Cuban officials point to US restrictions and difficulties securing fuel, while Washington argues that long-term economic and management problems are also responsible.
Restoration work is continuing, but repeated outages are placing growing pressure on households, public services and businesses across the island.
