Cuba's national electrical grid has collapsed again, according to state-run media, as the government struggles to restore power across the island. The failure occurred late Sunday, and although some power returned on Monday, much of the country remains disconnected after a secondary collapse wiped out progress.
On Monday, authorities reported that approximately 23 percent of Havana had power restored, but an electric oscillation triggered a subsequent collapse, according to Lazaro Manuel Alonso, the news director of Cuba's state-run television.
Before the nationwide failure, Havana's electricity company had reported various issues including damaged transformers, circuit failures, and planned cuts due to insufficient generating capacity. Early Sunday, dozens of unresolved complaints were recorded across municipalities such as Guanabacoa, Habana del Este, La Lisa, and Marianao, according to Reuters.
State utility Union Electrica de Cuba (UNE) announced the collapse on X late Sunday but did not immediately identify the cause or the expected restoration time. While authorities typically attempt to recover from total collapses by creating small, isolated networks for hospitals, water systems, and food facilities, the grid remains highly unstable.
The recent failures are part of a series of nationwide blackouts this year. In July, the grid collapsed three times within a nine-day period, including two island-wide failures in a single week. One such outage left approximately 10 million people without electricity.
Cuba's electricity system has deteriorated due to shortages of fuel and replacement parts, alongside repeated breakdowns at aging thermoelectric plants. Some generating facilities are over 30 years old and have received limited maintenance.
The Cuban government blames United States sanctions for the crisis, noting that Washington has restricted oil supplies, financing, and equipment. Cuba lost a key fuel source after President Donald Trump imposed an oil blockade following the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. Additionally, imports from Mexico have been halted due to increased pressure from Washington.
Other observers attribute the crisis to decades of mismanagement and underinvestment in the energy sector. The extended outages have disrupted medical services, communications, water supplies, and transport, while making it difficult for households to cook, sleep during summer heat, or preserve food.
