Cuba plunges into total blackout as electrical grid collapses

Cuba's energy grid suffered total collapsed on Friday, energy ministry says in post to social media, causing nationwide blackout on island of about 9 million people. Cuba’s aging power generation system has been under severe strain from fuel shortages, deteriorating infrastructure and a U.S.-imposed oil blockade.According to Cuban regime media, the reason for the collapse is under investigation and the timeline to restore power is unknown." The last national outage happened just last month, and Friday's marks the seventh one this year.

Se ha producido una desconexión total del Sistema Eléctrico.
Ya comienzan a activarse los protocolos para la recuperación.

— Ministerio de Energía y Minas Cuba ???????? (@EnergiaMinasCub) September 18, 2026

Even when the national grid is online, the island frequently experiences rolling blackouts that leave millions without power. The U.S. Embassy in Havana confirmed the failure and warned all U.S. citizens on the island or planning travel to "be aware and plan accordingly." Cuban officials say the cause of the collapse is under investigation and there is no timeline to restore power.